Abstract: Impact-dissipating liners, helmets having an impact-dissipating liner, and methods of fabricating impact-dissipating liners are provided. The liners include a fluid impermeable enclosure having cavities with sidewalls and a fluid contained in the enclosure. The enclosure may have a central portion and lobes extending from the central portion, wherein the central portion and the lobes are adapted to conform to the shape of an internal surface of a helmet. The helmets may include bodies positioned within the cavities of the liner, where, under impact loading, contact between the bodies and the liner absorbs at least some of the energy of the impact loading. Aspects of the invention are particularly adapted for use for head protection, such as, helmets; however, aspects of the invention are also adaptable to provide impact-dissipation for any body or surface that would benefit from such protection.

Abstract: A modular ballistic panel may include first and second vertical members, and curved rectangular first and second slats. The second vertical member may be spaced from the first vertical member. Each of the slats may be disposed between the first and second vertical members, with a first edge coupled to the first vertical side member and a second edge coupled to the second vertical side member. The first and second slats may be configured to deflect a projectile downward.

Abstract: A fire-resistant, projectile-resistant, composite-material panel for use in a modular concrete enclosure may include a panel body having a front major face and a back major face opposite the front major face. The panel body may include concrete and a plurality of round objects embedded within the concrete and configured to hinder the advance of projectiles through the panel body, with each of the round objects having a dimension in a range of 0.25-1.0 inches. The panel may further include a resin layer disposed over the front major face, the resin layer configured to bind the front major face of the panel body when struck by projectiles, and a fire-resistant layer disposed over the back major face. The fire resistant layer may be configured to protect an interior space of the enclosure against fire exterior to the enclosure.

Abstract: A plural-layer protective coating placeable adjacent the outside surface of a liquid fuel container.

Abstract: A plural-layer protective coating placeable adjacent the outside surface of a liquid fuel container.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sensor arrangement. In particular, a sensor for the measurement of magnetically active or ferrous debris, for example, as generated as a result of machine wear. There is provided a sensor (5) having a magnetic sensor head adapted to produce a magnetic field, —a magnetic field sensor (10) responsive to changes in the magnetic field; a temperature probe (15); and processing means (50) for determining the amount of debris accumulated on the magnetic sensor head based on both magnetic field and temperature data.

Abstract: An embedded-object composite product including a solid-state mass of PET, an object embedded in the PET material mass, and a zone possessing a continuous material-density gradient in the PET material mass, with more-dense PET material residing closely adjacent the embedded object, and less-dense PET material residing more distant from that object. This product is produced effectively by non-destructively heating the PET mass from its solid state to allow it to flow as a liquid, by then pressing the object into the heated PET mass to perform object embedment and to create a declining PET-material density in the region adjacent, and progressing from adjacent, the embedded object, and by thereafter cooling the mass to re-solidify it.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for prognostic health management (PHM) of electronic systems. Such systems and methods present challenges traditionally viewed as either insurmountable or otherwise not worth the cost of pursuit. The systems and methods are directed to the health monitoring and failure prediction of electronic systems, including the diagnostic methods employed to assess current health state and prognostic methods for the prediction of electronic system failures and remaining useful life. The disclosed methodologies include three techniques: (1) use of existing electronic systems data (circuit as a sensor); (2) use of available external measurements as condition indicators and degradation assessor; and (3) performance assessment metrics derived from available external measurements.

Abstract: Differentially armored, vehicle fuel tank structure possessing contiguous, united and integrated, tank-wall regions including a high-puncture-risk region formed of lightweight, penetrable, non-armoring material, and joined thereto, a low-puncture-risk region formed of hardened and heavyweight, anti-penetration, armoring material. Included also is a sprayed-on, allover, tank-exterior, self-sealing, anti-fuel-leak barrier coating formed principally of a high-elastomeric material which reacts in a material-swelling manner on contact with fuel in the tank structure.

Abstract: For the outside of the wall in a liquid fuel container, a self-sealing, anti-puncture-leak, plural-layer coating possessing at least a pair of layers including (a) an inner layer, (b) another layer which is outer relative to the inner layer, and (c), a different-value structural durometer respectively characterizing each of such layers.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for prognostic health management (PHM) of electronic systems. Such systems and methods present challenges traditionally viewed as either insurmountable or otherwise not worth the cost of pursuit. The systems and methods are directed to the health monitoring and failure prediction of electronic systems, including the diagnostic methods employed to assess current health state and prognostic methods for the prediction of electronic system failures and remaining useful life. The disclosed methodologies include three techniques: (1) use of existing electronic systems data (circuit as a sensor); (2) use of available external measurements as condition indicators and degradation assessor; and (3) performance assessment metrics derived from available external measurements.

Abstract: An anti-puncture-wound, self-sealing coating structure applicable to the outside surface of a liquid-container wall having a puncture-flowering propensity. The coating structure, in operative condition relative to such a wall, includes (a) an inner, puncture-response layer disposed immediately adjacent the outside surface of the wall, formed of a flower-indifferent material possessing a thickness which is greater than the expected depth of a puncture flower produced in the wall, and (b) an outer, puncture-response layer operatively associated with the inner layer, disposed upwardly adjacent the inner layer, formed, at least in part, of a high-elastomeric material possessing a self-sealing characteristic which reacts in a self-sealing manner to any puncture-produced exposure of the outer layer material to liquid leaking from the container.

Abstract: A layered panel structure including first and second layers formed, respectively, of (a) non-thermoformable, and (b) thermoformable, fiber-strand-reinforced resin, materials, having therebetween a bonding interface formed by resin drawn from the second layer.

Abstract: A method for establishing a sprayable stream of composite material for spray-applying to a target surface to create thereon a defined composite-material coating designed for defeating a liquid leak from a puncture wound created in the wall of a container holding liquid of a particular character, where the target surface is on a side of that wall.

Abstract: A layered panel structure featuring a first layer formed of non-thermoformable material, having opposite faces, a thickness T as measured between its opposite faces, and an effective layer density d, and a second layer formed of thermoformable material having opposite faces, with one face in the second layer being thermally bonded to one face in the first layer, and with the second layer having a thickness t, as measured between its opposite faces which is smaller than T, and an effective layer density D which is greater than d. The thermal bond between the layers is formed, during thermoforming of the panel structure, by a melt and flow of resin contained in the thermoformable layer material.

Abstract: A method utilizing a spray instrumentality for spray-applying to a target surface in a target zone a defined, composite-material layer which is to play a role in defeating a liquid leak from a puncture wound created in the wall of a container holding liquid of a particular character. The method includes the steps of (a) initiating a flow toward the spray instrumentality of liquid elastomeric body-forming material, (b) at a selectable point downstream from where such initiating takes place, introducing a flow of plural, liquid-imbiber bead elements which are relevant to the mentioned particular-character liquid, (c) in a user-chooseable manner in relation to the introducing step, merging the two flows, and (d) following such merging, applying the merged flows to a target surface, thus to create the desired, defined composite-material layer which takes the form of a body of elastomeric material containing a distribution of liquid-imbiber elements.