Patents Assigned to Aerospatiale Matra
  • Patent number: 6675659
    Abstract: To monitor the operating state of a composite structure formed from at least two different materials and subject to a uniform force or load over its entire surface, the deformation at the interface between the two materials is measured. A comparison with a reference quantity of the structure, normally produced by the force applied thereto, indicates the operating state. When the composite structure forms the wall (14) of a reservoir (10), monitoring takes place in an instrumentation box (30) joined to the reservoir. When a critical threshold is exceeded, an alarm indicator (32) is triggered on the box (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Aerospatiale Matra
    Inventors: Bruno Louis-Calixte, Frédéric Souvannavong, Manuel Angoulvant
  • Patent number: 6651930
    Abstract: Control system for a control surface (100) of an aircraft comprising at least one actuator (102, 104) of the control surface, connected to a hydraulic circuit and equipped with at least two power jacks (110) capable of operating in at least one activated mode and one deactivated mode. According to the invention, the system also comprises a control unit (114) capable of making a number of jacks operate in activated mode depending on the aircraft flight conditions. Application to aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Aerospatiale Matra
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Gautier, Cécile Peransin-Delage
  • Patent number: 6400880
    Abstract: This invention relates to a self-degradable optical fiber, that is to say, an optical fiber that contains, within its own structure, compounds capable of leading to its degradation. This optical fiber comprises a core, a sheath and a polymer coating, in which at least one calixarene is incorporated in the coating, the calixarene(s) imprisoning at least one compound capable of being released under defined conditions of temperature and/or humidity and/or irradiation and of bringing about degradation of the coating. The invention also relates to a method of preparing this fiber and a wire guided device comprising this fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Aerospatiale Matra
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Hebert, Frédéric Donnaint
  • Patent number: 6360986
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and a device for guiding a flying craft onto a target, the device (1) comprising a detector (D) pointed at the target in such a way that a projection of the latter is situated on a field of measurement of the detector (D), a computation unit (UC) for determining guidance commands, and members (6) carrying out the guidance. According to the invention, the said device (1) furthermore comprises computation means (C3, C4) for determining commands for varying attitudes of the said flying craft making it possible to center the said projection with respect to a first direction of the measurement field, and the line of sight of the detector (D) is moveable and is controlled in such a way as to center the said projection with respect to a second direction of the measurement field, which is different from the said first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Aerospatiale Matra
    Inventors: Eric Larcher, Cyril Delmau
  • Patent number: 6344648
    Abstract: A portable system for the real time detection and measurement of one or several gases is a gaseous mixture is disclosed. Such systems can be applied to industrial domains in which gases are to be measured and particularly toxic, dangerous, or polluting gases are generated. The system uses absorption spectrometry of a gas from a gaseous medium of interest. The optical means is at least two laser diodes with matchable cavities to generate a first and second wavelength, a light beam mixer prism, a double refraction crystal rotating on a controlled table. The tuned beam causes the gas to be measured to fluoresce and emit a signal to an infrared radiation detector which can indicate the identity and magnitude of the gas being measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Aerospatiale Matra
    Inventors: Daniel Boucher, Philippe Charruyer, Alain Legrand, Karine Michelet
  • Patent number: 6327132
    Abstract: Spark-resistant structure for use with aircraft, including a sheet-shaped external element made of a composite material with an exterior face bearing an electrically conducting surface layer for dissipating lightning energy. The external element also has an interior face. The structure further includes a sheet-shaped internal element with exterior and interior faces. The interior face of the external element is least partially superimposed on the exterior face of said internal element. Each element has holes which are aligned with each other. The structure also includes a fixing structure for holding the elements together in a fixed position passing through the aligned holes and forming an alignment. The fixing structure electrically contacts the conducting surface layer. Additionally, a first electrically conducting strip is positioned under the conducting surface layer of the external element, and it extends longitudinally in a direction of the alignment of the fixing structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Aerospatiale Matra
    Inventors: Luc Andrivet, Jean-Pierre Avenet
  • Patent number: 6275767
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for implementing the air traffic service unit (ATSU) managing the links between certain aircraft equipment and the ground/board communication means, and its operating system (OS) managing input/output, the use of software and hardware resources, chaining and timing of applications that are programs carrying out aircraft system functionalities, and wherein memory partitioning mechanisms and CPU partitioning mechanisms are used; wherein operating system calls are filtered so as to prevent said AOC (Airline Operational Communication) type applications from distributing the operation of said air traffic service unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Aerospatiale Matra
    Inventors: Hervé Delseny, Serge de Viguerie, Famantanantsoa Randimbivololona, Jean Souyris
  • Patent number: 6264139
    Abstract: An aircraft landing gear (16) located in front of a fuel tank is equipped with a protection device (22) designed to at least partially automatically disconnect the landing gear (16) from the structure that supports it. For example, the protection device (22) comprises a part (40) hinged on the landing gear, and mechanisms (42) connecting this part to pins (38) through which the landing gear (16) is installed on the aircraft. In the case of a bad landing, the landing gear pivots backwards and the part (40) collides with a reinforcement wall placed on the tank. The part (40) then pivots about its axis and releases the pins (38) from their housing. Perforation of the tank is thus prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Aerospatiale Matra
    Inventor: Francis Dazet
  • Patent number: 6258242
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the deposition of light-absorbing polyaniline, particularly on a titanium substrate, the process comprising: a fluoronitric etching, a chemical conversion treatment, a hydrolysis and a deposition of polyaniline by electropolymerization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Aerospatiale Matra
    Inventors: Didier Marchandise, Robert Marrugat