Patents Assigned to Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm
  • Patent number: 4971266
    Abstract: An on-board guidance system for a flying body, such as a cruise missile, includes a radar device for a self-sufficient scanning of the topography during flight. Scanning antennas provide signals for evaluation and further application in a search and guide logic circuit. An on-board computer calculates an exact horizon angle which is used as an altitude guide or control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventors: Ludwig Mehltretter, Hans Hummelsberger, Hans Grundner
  • Patent number: 4972165
    Abstract: An electrical structural component including a relay and connection contacts for connecting electrical components of the relay with respective electrical conductors of a switching or energizing circuit and at least one operating circuit, is equipped with a connector mounting plate that can be inserted into a relay housing. Connector bushings and securing or locking elements which may be part of the bushings, for the mounting and fixation of contact pins are arranged in the connector mounting plate. The connector bushings are constructed as carriers for the spring contacts operated in the relay and simultaneously as connector arms for the fixed contacts. The contact pins are connected to respective conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventor: Safa Kirma
  • Patent number: 4970979
    Abstract: A sailing yacht having a hull and a sectional mast holding a sail, is equipped with a canard rudder and two rolling keels. Each rolling keel has a ballast container. A three point wing system is formed by wings carried by the canard rudder and by the two rolling keels for producing buoyancy, for steering, and for stabilizing. Thus, the three point wing system has a fore wing (9) forming an end wing of the canard rudder and two aft wings (11, 11') forming end wings of the rolling keels (10, 10'). The rolling keels (10, 10') are tiltable about rotational axes extending above the water line approximately in parallel to the hull axis, whereby the rolling keels (10, 10') are normally above the water line and only the long end (14, 14') of the wing (11, 11') dips into the water, so that the end disk wing (15) functions as a lift producing surface. The ballast is shiftable between two ballast containers 17, 17'.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventor: Ernst-August Bielefeldt
  • Patent number: 4960032
    Abstract: An apparatus for locking and unlocking a safety for subammunition bodies is part of and mounted in a subammunition container secured to a carrier such as an aircraft body. The subammunition container is permanently attached to the carrier and not intended to be dropped. One section of the device includes a housing (3) containing a release mechanism (4), a computer (5) and a power source (6). The housing (3) is secured inside the carrier (1) at the bottom side thereof. Another section of the device includes the safety device (14) or (25) and the setting or operating mechanism (9). The safety device and the operating mechanism are mounted in the container (2) for the subammunition. The safety device includes a pin (8) that can be moved by a solenoid between two positions. A loop (7) at one end of a rope pull (18) loops around the pin (8) which holds the loop in a first position with a smaller force and in a second position with a larger force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventor: Horst Huetter
  • Patent number: 4957250
    Abstract: A device for intercepting and retaining of cargo that may have become loose in a transport or baggage compartment or cabin of an aircraft, is located between a freight compartment and a passenger compartment of an aircraft. The device forms an additional protective screen or wall connected to a mounting structure by connection flanges, e.g. the air frame or cabin structures such as the floor and ceiling. The protective screen has at least two wall sections arranged one behind the other with a spacing between the wall sections. The wall sections are joined to each other by energy absorbing elements inserted in the spacing to form a composite, laminated structure. Each wall section has an external covering. The passenger cabin facing wall section may have a decorated surface. The baggage compartment facing wall has a tough material covering to take up impacts, when a piece of cargo should hit the wall surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventor: Mohammad Hararat-Tehrani
  • Patent number: 4957249
    Abstract: A thrust vector control for a jet engine is accomplished by controllable flaps which have an inner, jet flow facing contour with a double curvature. One curvature section is convex and extends between the leading edge of the flap and a transition point. The other curvature section is concave and extends between the transition point and the trailing edge of the flap. The flap or flaps are arranged downstream of the propulsion jet nozzle and are tilted into the jet stream as required for the vector control. A pressure sensor is arranged so as to measure or pick-up a pressure value, preferably near the trailing edge of the flap, which pressure value depends on the dynamic pressure head in that area. The respective pressure value is used in a closed loop control circuit for operating the tilting drive of the respective flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventor: Felix Aulehla
  • Patent number: 4953417
    Abstract: Backlash or play is avoided in a mechanical, self-adjusting gear drive having two sets of gears arranged in parallel to each other by one or more torsion springs effective between a driving shaft and a driven shaft. The gear sets form a closed gear train which contains the prestressed torsion spring (12) at any suitable point. After adjustment of the prestressing, the spring or springs eliminate any backlash throughout the whole gear train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Baumgarten, Kurt Schloeglmann
  • Patent number: 4951288
    Abstract: Sensitive components of a laser such as a resonator mirror, a decoupling mirror or the like, are protected against an initial laser beam surge caused by the ignition of a laser with an arc discharge lamp, by a beam interrupting switch having two switch sections each carrying a filter or shutter switchable into a laser beam path in response to an arc discharge lamp ignition pulse. For a beam interruption the filters or shutters are located directly in front of and directly behind of a lasing element as viewed in the beam path direction. The switch sections are operated by a shifting mechanism responsive to the ignition pulse to bring the switch sections into the beam path and to a control signal to bring the switch sections out of the beam path or into a beam releasing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventors: Udo Barton, Gerhard Ruf, Fritz Wondrazek
  • Patent number: 4950915
    Abstract: An impact sensor (1) for a vehicle is connected to a testing circuit. The impact sensor includes an acceleration sensor (5), an evaluating circuit (6) and a trigger circuit (7) for a passive safety device. For simply testing the operability of the impact sensor an electro-acoustic transducer (9) is arranged in a sensor housing (2). The transducer (9) emits a testing signal that is received by the acceleration sensor (5). The electrical signals which are produced by the acceleration sensor are tested by the testing circuit (10) which is part of the evaluating and trigger circuit. The testing is performed with reference to given criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Spies, Horst Laucht, Alfons Woehrl
  • Patent number: 4950051
    Abstract: An electromagnetic beam switch for a laser resonator or generator, specifically for the guided or controlled transmission of light into a light conductor has two electrically controllable rotary magnets arranged in twin fashion for redundancy. Each rotary magnet operates a filter glass plate to tilt these plates into the beam path for interrupting the beam generation. The plates (13a, 13b) cooperate with respective switch contacts in corresponding switches (14, 15) arranged so that during activation, that is during switching-on, both rotary magnets (11, 12) are connected in parallel with each other. Upon completion of a "flight phase " or switch over phase the rotary magnets are automatically connected in series with each other to operate at half power as compared to the initial full power energizing phase. RC-components are arranged to prevent a constant activation of the magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventors: Udo Barton, Gerhard Ruf
  • Patent number: 4950881
    Abstract: An opto-electronic, interference protected missile tracking system operates according to the multiple shutter shifting method, thereby employing a matrix which may have a plurality of liquid crystal cells or deformable mirror devices. These cells or devices are arranged in a rectangular coordinate system and thus have an inherent location determination so that the need for a mechanically movable reticle is obviated. The individual image points in the matrix are modulated under the control of a location determining central processing unit whereby the individual control covers an "n.times.m" vicinity around the image point or pixel that is illuminated by the useful incoming light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventor: Horst Kaltschmidt
  • Patent number: 4949061
    Abstract: An electromechanical relay for the activation of at least one operating circuit, has an activator (10, 110) for example in the form of a helix made of a material having form-restoring or shape memory properties. A reset element (17, 117) holds the actuator in a distorted position opposite to that of its original position as long as an electrical heating current does not flow through the actuator. When the heating current, also referred to as switching current, is passing through the actuator, the latter returns to its original position or shape against the force of the reset spring thereby activating, through an operating member, a number of contact pairs of an operating circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventor: Safa Kirma
  • Patent number: 4945360
    Abstract: The present radar altimeter operates in accordance with the frequency modulated continuous wave principle in the C-band. The altimeter is constructed with microminiaturized integrated circuits and provides a completely digital signal evaluation and mode control which enables the transmitter to produce a wave-form providing the altimeter with the following advantages. A silent mode during the signal evaluation greatly improves the resistance of the altimeter against electronic countermeasures. The transmitter frequency is stabilized and a compensation for Doppler frequency drift is provided. Further, the altimeter is able to discriminate between intended proper targets on the one hand and false or erroneous targets on the other hand. The altimeter is equipped with a self-testing unit which provides different functions in different modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventors: Guenther Trummer, Richard Koerber, Ludwig Mehltretter
  • Patent number: 4944473
    Abstract: The locking mechanism of an aircraft door is linked with a testing device in such a manner that the inoperability of the testing device indicates a failure in the proper locking or latching of the door in its closed position. The testing device may, for example, be a lever which is actuated last in a sequence of door closing and locking or latching steps. Such a lever could, for instance, be the lever for bringing an emergency chute into a ready or stand-by condition. The linkage assures that the testing lever for operating the emergency chute can be activated only if the door is properly closed and latched. As a result, a door that is incompletely closed and/or incompletely latched will provide an immediate indication of that situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventors: Guenter Kallies, Wolfgang Lessat-Kaupat
  • Patent number: 4941710
    Abstract: In a belt strap for a restraint system for restraining a passenger in a vehicle seat in the event of a collision, the belt strap includes regions which mechanically absorb energy. Such a seat belt includes elements for increasing the contact surface of the belt strap with the passenger's body so that the force transmitted to the passenger's body in the event of a collision is reduced. The belt may include colored material which discolors over time or plastically deformable colored threads to indicate if the belt's elasticity has decayed due to aging or due to over-extension of the belt. The belt has a modulus of elasticity which varies across its width so that the belt edges roll away from the passenger in the event of a collision. An information label indicating the expiration date of the usable duty lifetime of the safety belt may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventors: Faruk Baymak, Helmut Stueben
  • Patent number: 4941392
    Abstract: A scatter ammunition container system has a plurality of container tubes which serve also as ejector tubes. For this purpose the tubes are connected to gas generators providing the pressurized gas for the ejection. Two gas generators are arranged in axial alignment with each other each in a respective ring chamber connected to the respective ejector tube. A valving mechanism including a slide member (7) is arranged centrally between the two gas generators. The valving mechanism makes sure that one gas generator can eject ammunition from several ejector tubes or that the ejector tubes receive gas from both gas generators, or to admit ejector gas from one generator, which is ignited first, to all tubes and thereafter when the second gas generator has been ignited to admit its gas only to tubes ejecting in a certain direction, for generating symmetrical or non-symmetrical scatter patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventor: Horst Huetter
  • Patent number: 4930888
    Abstract: A situation display system has a movable section for attachment to a helmet nd a stationary section, including a stationary map providing a real map background for showing situation display elements on the map. The movable section is connected through a flexible cable to a device for the remote control of the situation display elements which are computer generated. By accurate measurements of the location of the helmet and its distance to the map, signals are provided which are processed independently of any movements of an operator wearing the helmet so that the elements are correctly displayed and seen on the map. Thus, a tactical situation display is obtained for a military command system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Horst Freisleben, Gottfried Scharfenberg, Gunther Sepp, Richard Benedikter, Werner Schnaebele
  • Patent number: 4928906
    Abstract: A remote control for a rolling flying body enables that body to also perf pitching movements about its pitch axis and yawing movements about its yaw axis. For this purpose the flying body is equipped with a plurality of control nozzles distributed about the circumference of the flying body. These control nozzles or rather the fluid flow through the control nozzles is so controlled by control valves that two nozzles forming a pair are simultaneously activated for causing the desired pitching and yawing movements. The duration of the control impulse signals is determined exclusively by the rolling frequency of the flying body or missile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventor: Richard Sturm
  • Patent number: 4925134
    Abstract: A high temperature heat shield system for re-entry vehicles and high speed ircraft is assembled from separate insulating panels made of metal foil layers diffusion soldered together and with a ceramic fiber material filled into interspaces between the metal foil layers. In this arrangement structural metal foil layers carry mechanical loads while separate reflecting foil layers and the ceramic fiber material are non-load bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Karl Keller, Herbert Grallert, Wolfgang Keinath
  • Patent number: 4922799
    Abstract: A flying body, such as a missile, is strapped to a carrier vehicle, such as an aircraft, by a strapping or locking mechanism mounted in a housing which also includes components for suspending and launching the flying body from launching rails forming part of the housing connected to the carrier aircraft. The strapping is accomplished with two strapping bridges which are pressed down onto the respective suspension block elements resting on the launching rail. The pressing down force is applied by a toggle lever arrangement, one of which is provided for each strapping bridge. The toggle lever arrangement cooperates with a respective spring arrangement which keeps the corresponding toggle levers in a strapping position until the spring arrangement is released through release pawls operated with a reverse magnet. A retaining mechanism which is effective between the release of the strapping mechanism and the actual launching after ignition of the propulsion system of the flying body, is made ready for launching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventors: Josef Bartl, Wilhelm Schroettle, Dietmar Puttinger