Abstract: The weapon bolt is driven rearward by gas pressure from a blank cartridge with the reaction being transmitted to the weapon frame through a spigot inserted through the barrel and attached to the weapon muzzle. Power is thereby provided to perform cycling of the weapon.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating a control signal including pulses occurring at a first frequency f1 and having an overall mean frequency f2 which is in an exact ratio to the difference between the frequencies of a reference signal N and an offset signal O has a common oscillator 18 operating at the frequency of the reference signal N. The offset signal O is produced from the oscillator 18 by a first channel 24a of a 2-channel direct digital synthesizer (DDS), and the frequency f1 is generated by its second channel 24b. The offset signal O controls the rate at which data is entered into a first-in first-out store (FIFO) 54. The signal from the second channel 24b of the DDS triggers sub-sequences of pulses to produce the required control signal, which modifies the extraction of data from the FIFO 54 occurring at the rate of the reference signal N. Each sub-sequence may include one pulse, no pulse or two pulses.

Abstract: An electrically powered active suspension system is disclosed having a suspension unit wherein the system controller and the power electronics module are integrated into a single housing with the motor mechanism of the suspension unit.

Abstract: The oscillatory spring movements of each wheel of a motor vehicle suspension system are damped by a switched reluctance machine which is actively controlled during standard suspension operation to define damping characteristics of the suspension or passively controlled to define a fail-safe damping rate in the event of failure within the system. The switched reluctance machines of a suspension system are selectively connected to standard control circuitry or fault control circuitry by relay contacts. Upon failure within the system, phases of the switched reluctance machines are charged via monopulsers which are controlled in response to rotational positions of the machines such that the machines operate as generators and withdraw energy from the suspension system and pass it to a parallel connected resistor and capacitor.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided, for use in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine (10) and a battery (38), for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy for charging the battery, the apparatus being disposed within the engine crankcase (22). The apparatus includes a stator (14), disposed within the engine crankcase (22), having a plurality of teeth (34). Each tooth on the stator has a coil (36) wound thereabout electrically connected to the battery (38). The apparatus also includes a crankshaft (12) disposed within the engine crankcase (22) for rotation relative to the stator (14). The crankshaft (12) includes a plurality of lobes (30.sub.1-4), which periodically move into close proximity with the stator teeth (34) upon rotation of the crankshaft, thereby inducing a current in the coils (36) for charging the battery (38).

Abstract: An analog circuit provides selectable current control and power limiting for a connected load. A current control loop is combined with a voltage/power control loop to generate a current level signal via an output transistor to control current flow through a load. Current through a load is monitored with the current control loop maintaining current flow through the load at a selected value. If a selected power level is exceeded, the current is reduced by the voltage/power control loop. Voltage monitoring and feedback is used to control the operating power for a power level control operational amplifier and thereby maintain a selected power level. By providing multiple, voltage dependent gains in the voltage feedback loop, a piecewise linear approximation of a desired power curve can be obtained.

Abstract: System and method for high-speed, high-accuracy control of a multiphase motor in a vehicle having a DC power supply in response to a motor command signal, the system being a substantially digital implementation. The system includes programmable digital logic for generating a digital desired phase current signal for a particular motor phase. A signal indicative of the actual current in the particular motor phase is generated. The system includes comparators for comparing the desired phase current signal with the actual phase current signal and generating a digital error signal based on the difference between the desired and actual phase current signals. Additionally, the system includes an inverter, including a plurality of switches, for generating the actual current in the particular motor phase from the DC power supply. Based on the digital error signal, the digital logic generates a digital switch state output signal to control the operating state of the inverter.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for relieving stresses related to reverse recovery of free-wheeling diodes of power inverter circuits used to drive inductive loads by utilizing saturating inductors which are connected between switching transistors of the inverter circuit and the inductive load. Circuit elements are also connected to the switching devices of the inverter circuits for initially conducting free-wheeling current through an inductive load upon the turn-off of an inverter transistor.

Abstract: An electrical contact assembly (10) comprises a housing having a bottom portion (26) and a top portion (24), the top portion having a first inverted wall section (29) and a second inverted wall section (28), the housing having at least one aperture (31 and 32), the aperture extending from the bottom of the first inverted wall section to the bottom of the second inverted wall section. The assembly further comprises a substrate (20) within the housing having at least one contact area (22), and a contact finger (11) for placement in the housing aperture, the contact finger having at least a first portion (12), a second portion (14) and a third portion (16). The first portion protrudes below the aperture and contacts the contact area (22) on the substrate. The second portion (14) clips on to opposing walls of the second inverted wall (28) and the third portion (16) protrudes from the aperture (31) forming an external contact area.

Abstract: A current mode hysteresis controller for an inverter circuit provides selectable hysteresis bands based on the level of current to be provided. In the preferred embodiment of the controller, selected upper and lower limits are provided with hysteresis band switching being performed by selecting the amplification factor of error signals used to control the current mode hysteresis controller.

Abstract: A fail-safe variable damping suspension system for a motor vehicle controls the oscillatory spring movements of each wheel via a permanent magnet rotary electric machine which is connected to machine control circuitry by normally open contacts of a relay. In the event of failure of the suspension system, the relay is released and the machine takes the form of a permanent magnet alternator which is connected to a defined load via normally closed contacts of the relay. Thus, in the event of a failure of the suspension system, the machine control circuitry is disabled and all shock absorbers are set to a fail-safe mode by the defined load upon closure of the normally closed contacts of the relay.

Abstract: An electrically powered suspension for a vehicle including a roadwheel and tire assembly, an electrically powered suspension unit having one end attached to the roadwheel and tire assembly and the other end attached to the chassis of the vehicle, with the suspension unit including an electric motor for positioning the roadwheel with respect to the chassis, and a controller for operating the electric motor so as to control the vertical movement of the wheel and tire assembly with respect to the vehicle's chassis. The electric motor may include either a linear or rotating electric motor, acting either alone or in parallel with a static load carrying device such as a fluid or coil spring.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling field current in an alternator maintains the alternator output voltage at a defined level and substantially suppresses transients in the event the alternator is disconnected from a load. A pair of MOS Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (MOSIGBT's) are connected one in series and one in parallel with the alternator field winding and current is provided to the field winding through the series connected regulator transistor as needed to maintain the alternator output voltage. The field current is auto-commutated through the parallel connected transient suppression transistor when the regulator transistor is off. When the alternator is disconnected from a load, both transistors are switched off in a controlled manner to discharge the field winding energy at a high voltage and at an accelerated rate within the parallel connected transistor.

Abstract: A number of rare earth-cobalt permanent magnet segments are temporarily secured together by means of a tool. Before securement the segment surfaces at each interface are pre-tinned. A solder pre-form in the shape of a "wagon wheel" rests on one transverse end of the magnet so that the spokes of the pre-form overlie the interface joints. The magnet is then lowered into a gradually heated glycerine bath until the solder melts and directly flows over each interface. Upon slow cooling of the cylinder, metallurgical bonding is effected between the various segments of the magnet.

Abstract: Bushings are embedded within a production drill plate to replicate the hole pattern of a master hole pattern plate. The exterior surface of each bushing is threaded, as is the wall of a receiving hole in the production drill plate. The pitch of the bushing and hole are the same but the pitch diameters are somewhat different so that the threads of the bushing are loosely engaged within the threads of the hole. When the bushing is potted in a properly aligned position, the containment potting material becomes compressed in the thread engagement area thereby resisting axial displacement of the bushing.

Abstract: A cable joint cover for protecting a cable joint consisting of a hollow sleeve, and two endcaps which can be permanently sealed to the cables. One endcap is of smaller diameter than the sleeve so that the sleeve can slide over that endcap to expose the joint.

Abstract: A windshield wiper system for continuously controlling position and velocity of a wiper blade as it sweeps across the windshield. The blade is coupled directly to a motor having an encoder for continuously generating actual position pulses related to blade movement across the windshield. Desired position pulses are continuously generated which are related to desired blade position during the sweep. Both desired and actual position pulses are accumulated or counted such that desired and actual blade position are continuously known during the sweep. An error signal is generated by comparing accumulated desired and actual position pulses. Motor speed is corrected in response to the error signal for continuously correcting blade position and velocity.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the displacement of a member relative to a reference plane has a transmitter and a receiver spaced therefrom at a predetermined distance. A reference energy beam coaxially passes through a light diffraction grating having a ruled surface. The grating passes a zero order part of the beam through undeviated and diffracts a multiplicity of beams of first, second, third, and higher order, at constant angles with the zero order part, the angles varying with the frequency of the ruled surface of the grating. A coaxial sleeve movably mounts the light diffraction grating to provide a roll zero reference. The zero order part of the beam provides the zero reference for pitch and yaw and the first order beams provides zero reference for roll. The lines of the ruled surface of the grating have a frequency matching the predetermined distance.

Abstract: A technique for detecting the occurrence of stall currents in a D.C. motor control circuit and inhibiting the application of drive currents to the motor by monitoring the current flow through the motor and responding to stall currents that are continuous for a predetermined period of time.