Abstract: The invention provides an improvement in a slip ring (20) adapted to provide electrical contact between a stator (21) and a rotor (22). The improvement includes: a current-carrying conductor (23) mounted on the stator; a brush tube (24) mounted on the conductor; a fiber bundle composed of a number of individual fibers(26), the upper marginal end portions of the fibers being received in said brush tube, a portion of the brush tube being crimped or swaged to hold the upper marginal end portions of said fibers therein, the lower ends of the fibers in the bundle extending beyond said brush tube and being adapted to engage said rotor; a collimator tube(25) integral with or surrounding a portion of the brush tube and extending therebeyond, the lower end of the collimator tube being adapted to limit lateral movement of the lower marginal end portions of said fibers in said bundle when the rotor rotates relative to said stator; and a fluid reservoir (28) mounted on the collimator tube.

Abstract: A compact slip ring (20), which is particularly adapted for use in small spaces, is adapted to provide electrical contact between a rotor (22) and a stator (21). The improved slip ring broadly includes an electrically-conductive monofilament (24) having one end (28) mounted on the stator and having a distal end (34); a sleeve (25) mounted on and secured to the marginal end portion of the monofilament, adjacent the distal end; and a fiber bundle (26) having a longitudinal axis (39), one marginal end portion of the fiber bundle being recessed in and secured to the sleeve, the other end of the fiber bundle engaging the rotor such that the longitudinal axis of the fiber bundle will be substantially perpendicular to an imaginary line tangent to the rotor surface at the point of contact with the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: The invention provides an improvement in a slip ring (20) adapted to provide electrical contact between a stator (21) and a rotor (22). The improvement includes: a current-carrying conductor (23) mounted on the stator; a brush tube (24) mounted on the conductor; a fiber bundle composed of a number of individual fibers (26), the upper marginal end portions of the fibers being received in said brush tube, a portion of the brush tube being crimped or swaged to hold the upper marginal end portions of said fibers therein, the lower ends of the fibers in the bundle extending beyond said brush tube and being adapted to engage said rotor; a collimator tube (25) surrounding a portion of the brush tube and extending therebeyond, the lower end of the collimator tube being adapted to limit lateral movement of the lower marginal end portions of said fibers in said bundle when the rotor rotates relative to said stator; and a fluid reservoir mounted on the collimator tube (28).

Abstract: An electro-mechanical actuator (21) includes a reverse transfer system ball-screw (20). The actuator broadly includes a frame (22), a nut (43) mounted on the frame, at least one magnet (59) mounted on the nut, at least one coil (55) mounted on the frame, the coil being adapted to be selectively supplied with current to cause the nut to rotate within the frame, a rotary feedback device (80), and a screw (44) arranged within the nut for rotational and axial movement relative thereto. The screw and nut both have cooperative ball recesses (72, 74) that define a ball path in which a plurality of balls (73) are mounted. The ball recirculation path is provided in the screw. A rod (23) is connected to the screw for movement therewith. Relative rotation between the nut and screw will cause the screw and rod to move axially relative to the frame.

Abstract: The present invention provides several improvements in a slip ring (36) that is adapted to provide electrical contact between a rotor (42) and stator (40). In one aspect, a brush tube (39) is crimped around the upper marginal end portions of a plurality of individual fibers (38) inserted therein. In another aspect, a collimator tube (41) extends downwardly beyond the end of the brush tube to limit lateral movement of the fibers in the bundle when the rotor rotates. In yet another arrangement, a spring (55, 56) is arranged to bear against a current-carrying conductor to adjustably vary the force by which the lower ends of the fibers are urged to move toward the rotor.

Abstract: A fiber optic rotary joint is provided that is unaffected by variations in the optical properties of a fluid that fills its internal cavity. The rotary joint includes a housing defining the internal cavity, first and second optical collimation arrays on opposite sides of the internal cavity, and a reversion prism between the optical collimation arrays. Further, the rotary joint includes an interface optical element proximate at least one of the first and second optical collimation arrays and the reversion prism. Each interface optical element includes an optically-flat surface adapted to contact the fluid such that optical signals that are oriented normal to the optically-flat surface can be transmitted without refraction, thereby rendering the optical signals immune to variations in the fluid's optical properties. A reversion prism assembly, an optical collimation assembly and a method of aligning an optical collimation array utilizing alignment pins are also provided.

Abstract: A fiber optic transceiver (37) is adapted for use in transmitting and receiving optical signals in a fiber-optic network (30). The improved transceiver comprising: a multi-mode optical fiber (36) having a longitudinal axis (x—x) and having a proximal end (35). The fiber is adapted to convey optical signals in either direction therealong. A photodetector (32) is arranged in longitudinally-spaced relation to the fiber proximal end. The photodetector has a sensitive surface (34) operatively arranged to receive light energy exiting the fiber through the proximal end. A light source (31) is arranged between the fiber proximal end and the photodetector surface. The light source is arranged to selective emit light energy into the fiber through the proximal end.

Abstract: A stator is provided for an electrical device (e.g., a motor) comprised of one or more stator segments formed by the compaction of one or more powdered metallic materials. Each stator section has at least one tooth that forms a substantially toroidal path for magnetic flux entering and leaving the stator segment. Each stator segment also has a continuous insulated electrical winding that is associated with the stator segment such that a magnetic field is induced in the stator segment when a current is passed through the continuous insulated electrical winding. The current that is passed through the continuous insulated electrical winding of any one stator segment is not of the same electrical phase as the current that is passed through the winding of any adjacent stator segment.

Abstract: A fiber optic rotary joint is provided that is unaffected by variations in the optical properties of a fluid that fills its internal cavity. The rotary joint includes a housing defining the internal cavity, first and second optical collimation arrays on opposite sides of the internal cavity, and a reversion prism between the optical collimation arrays. Further, the rotary joint includes an interface optical element proximate at least one of the first and second optical collimation arrays and the reversion prism. Each interface optical element includes an optically-flat surface adapted to contact the fluid such that optical signals that are oriented normal to the optically-flat surface can be transmitted without refraction, thereby rendering the optical signals immune to variations in the fluid's optical properties. A reversion prism assembly, an optical collimation assembly and a method of aligning an optical collimation array utilizing alignment pins are also provided.

Abstract: A velocity compensated contacting ring system includes a first dielectric material, a plurality of concentric spaced conductive rings and a first ground plane. The first dielectric material includes a first side and a second side. The plurality of concentric spaced conductive rings are located on the first side of the first dielectric material. The conductive rings include an inner ring and an outer ring. The first ground plane is located on the second side of the first dielectric material. A width of the inner ring is greater than a width of the outer ring and the widths of the inner and outer rings are selected to substantially equalize electrical lengths of the inner and outer rings.

Abstract: The present invention provides several improvements in a slip ring (36) that is adapted to provide electrical contact between a rotor (42) and stator (40). In one aspect, a brush tube (39) is crimped around the upper marginal end portions of a plurality of individual fibers (38) inserted therein. In another aspect, a collimator tube (41) extends downwardly beyond the end of the brush tube to limit lateral movement of the fibers in the bundle when the rotor rotates. In yet another arrangement, a spring (55, 56) is arranged to bear against a current-carrying conductor to adjustably vary the force by which the lower ends of the fibers are urged to move toward the rotor.

Abstract: A compact actuator (20) is arranged to selectively move an airfoil surface (27) relative to a support (27) relative to a support (21). The actuator includes a gear reduction unit (24) mounted on the support. The gear reduction unit has a ring gear (25) adapted to be rotated about a longitudinal axis (x—x), and a pinion (26) mounted on the ring gear. All bearings for the pinion gear are physically located within the gear reduction unit. The pinion gear engages a rack (23) attached to the airfoil surface such that rotation of the pinion gear will move the airfoil surface relative to the support.

Abstract: An electrohydraulic actuator (10) includes a fluid-powered actuator (11) having a piston (15) in a cylinder (16). The piston divides the cylinder into two opposed chambers (18, 19). The actuator includes a fixed-displacement reversible motor-driven pump (13) having a first port communicating with one of the chambers and having a second port communicating with the other of the chambers in a closed hydraulic system. A pre-charged accumulator (14) communicates with the pump first port. One of the actuator chambers is maintained at a fixed pre-charged pressure of the accumulator, and the operation of the pump controls the pressure in, and volume of, the other chamber.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for controlling an electromechanical servomechanism (20) for moving an output member relative to a variable load (38). The servomechanism includes: a motor (37) having at least one coil (32A, 32B or 32C) adapted to be supplied with current and having a rotor (33) with an output shaft (35); a mechanical transmission (36) arranged between the output shaft and the load, the transmission having a mechanical friction related to the load; a servoamplifier (30) arranged to supply current to the motor coil in response to an input signal (in line 29); a command signal (in line 21) for commanding the position of the load; a load position feedback signal (in line 23) compared (in summing point 22) to the command signal and arranged to produce an error signal (in line 24); and means (28) for generating an offset signal (in line 26) that is summed (in summing point 25) with the error signal to modify the servoamplifier input signal (in line 29).

Abstract: A torque motor (20) has a base (21), four polepieces (22A, 22B, 22C, 22D) extending away from the base, the polepieces being separated from one another and being arranged at the corners of an imaginary polygon (27), each polepiece terminating in a pole (23A, 23B, 23C, 23D); a coil (24A, 24B, 24C, 24D) surrounding each of the polepieces; an armature (26) pivotally mounted on the base, the armature having a portion arranged to move toward and away from an associated one of the poles, respectively, to define a variable-reluctance air gap (gA, gB, gC, gD) therebetween; a permanent magnet (29) mounted on one of the base and armature and polarized in a direction parallel to the pivotal axis of the armature; and wherein at least a portion of the torque motor is formed by a MEMS technique; whereby the coil may be selectively energized to cause the armature to pivot about its axis.

Abstract: A torque motor (20) has a base (21), four polepieces (22A, 22B, 22C, 22D) extending away from the base, the polepieces being separated from one another and being arranged at the corners of an imaginary polygon (27), each polepiece terminating in a pole (23A, 23B, 23C, 23D); a coil (24A, 24B, 24C, 24D) surrounding each of the polepieces; an armature (26) pivotally mounted on the base, the armature having a portion arranged to move toward and away from an associated one of the poles, respectively, to define a variable-reluctance air gap (gA, gB, gC, gD) therebetween; a permanent magnet (29) mounted on one of the base and armature and polarized in a direction parallel to the pivotal axis of the armature; and wherein at least a portion of the torque motor is formed by a MEMS technique; whereby the coil may be selectively energized to cause the armature to pivot about its axis.

Abstract: A propellant supply device (10) is provided for a vehicle (11) having a main propulsion motor (12) and having an attitude control system (11) including a plurality of thrusters (14A, 14B, 14C, . . . , 14F). The improved device comprises: a pressure vessel (15); first and second movable walls (20, 21) operatively arranged within the pressure vessel and dividing the interior space therewithin into three separate sealed chambers (22, 23, 24) from each of which fluid may be supplied; a first fluid (e.g., a first bipropellant) in one of the chambers; a second fluid (e.g., a second bipropellant) in a second of the chambers; and a third fluid (e.g., ammonia) in a third of the chambers, the third fluid being a volatile liquid having a liquid phase and a gaseous phase, and wherein all three chambers are pressurized to the vapor pressure of the third fluid.

Abstract: A servoactuator (20) is operatively arranged to control the movement of an output member (21) in either of two directions in response to a command signal. The servoactuator includes an electric motor (25); a first transmission mechanism (34); a hydrostatic second transmission mechanism (35); a transfer mechanism (36) operatively arranged to selectively couple the motor output shaft to the output member either through the first transmission mechanism to impart a high-speed low-force drive to the output member, or through the second transmission mechanism to impart a low-speed high-force drive to the output member; at least one feedback transducer (29, 32); and a servo control loop (30, 33) closed about the motor, controller, transmission mechanisms, transfer mechanism, feedback transducer and output member for selectively controlling at least one of the position, velocity or force of the output member as a function of the command signal.

Abstract: A displacement control device (1) is adapted to move a member (23) relative to a body (7). The displacement control device includes a drive means (2, 3) and an emergency actuator(8) arranged mechanically in series with the member. The actuator includes a housing (16) and a spring (14) arranged to act between the housing and the member. The improvement comprises: the actuator including a toggle linkage (9) acting between the housing and the spring, the toggle linkage having two pivotally-connected links (10, 11) that are adapted to be selectively moved between a collapsed position at which the links are arranged at an acute included angle, and an extended position at which the links are arranged at an obtuse included angle slightly less than 180°. The toggle linkage is arranged such that the spring will be more greatly compressed when the links are in the extended position than when the links are in the collapsed position.

Abstract: A pressure-control device (20) includes a controllable variable-displacement reversible hydraulic motor (21) having a pressure port (22) and a return port (23); a source of pressurized fluid (Ps); a fluid return (R); and a pressure regulating valve (24) operatively interposed between the source, return and pressure port. The pressure regulating valve is operatively arranged to maintain a predetermined pressure at the pressure port regardless of the direction of flow through the pressure port.