Abstract: A stator made from a ribbon of metal having multiple layers of slit metal, and motors made therefrom are described. A ribbon having multiple layers of metal is formed into a stator such as by flattening or pleating the ribbon to form each pole of a stator having a plurality of stator teeth, or poles. The stator formed from the metal ribbon may be configured into any suitable type of motor, such as an axial transverse flux motor. A magnetic flux return may also be made out of metal ribbon.

Abstract: A stop module halts rotation of a shaft of a rotational drive system when an axial stroke limit is reached without the use of frictional brake plates. The module has a fixed nut and a pawl carrier coaxially mounted on the shaft for axial travel along the shaft and rotation with the shaft. The pawl carrier includes a screw portion mated with the nut such that rotation of the pawl carrier with the shaft causes the pawl carrier to travel axially along the shaft. A pawl member is pivotally coupled to the pawl carrier, and a stop element is fixed at an axial limit location. The pawl carrier is axially displaceable from a non-limit position wherein the pawl member is clear of the stop element during rotation to a limit position wherein the pawl member is interfered with by the stop element during rotation to stop rotation of the shaft.

Abstract: An actuator system having a controlled element configured for rotary movement about a first axis relative to a reference structure; a linkage system between the element and reference structure; a first actuator and a second actuator configured to power a first degree of freedom and an independent second degree of freedom of the linkage system, respectively; the linkage system having a first link configured for rotary movement about a second axis not coincident to the first axis and second link configured for rotary movement about a third axis; the linkage system configured such that a first angle of rotation may be driven independently of a second angle of rotation between said first link and said reference structure; wherein one of the first or second actuators is configured and arranged to drive rotation of the element about the first axis when the other is operatively locked.

Abstract: A subsea drilling, production or processing actuation system comprising a variable speed electric motor (10) adapted to be supplied with a current, a reversible hydraulic pump (8, 28) driven by the motor, a hydraulic piston assembly (92, 101, 111, 121, 131) connected to the pump and comprising a first chamber (2), a second chamber (3) and a piston (4) separating the first and second chambers and configured to actuate a valve (91) in a subsea system, a fluid reservoir (14) connected to the pump and the hydraulic piston assembly, the pump, hydraulic piston assembly and reservoir connected in a substantially closed hydraulic system, and a pressure compensator (13, 65) configured to normalize pressure differences between outside the hydraulic system and inside the hydraulic system.

Abstract: An electric motor system having a power supply, an electric motor connected to the power supply, an object driven by the motor having a range of motion and a substantially neutral position within the range of motion, a power sensor configured to sense power from the power supply, a position sensor configured to sense position of the object in at least a portion of the range of motion, an energy storage, a controller connected to the power supply and the energy storage, wherein the controller is configured to brake the motor as a function of the position sensor, the neutral position and the power sensor.

Abstract: An actuator synchronization system comprising a control valve in fluid communication with a plurality of actuators; each of the actuators comprising an input member moveable by the control valve, a main valve moveable from a null to an off-null position, an output member moveable from a first to a second output position, and a feedback linkage and a drive link configured such that selective movement of the input member causes movement of the valve from the null to the off-null position and movement of the output member to the second output position causes movement of the valve member from the off-null to the null position; and a mechanical connector between each of the input members or drive links of the actuators configured such that rotational motion of each of the respective drive links is synchronized.

Abstract: A vehicle-mounted weapon station is configurable to adjust the height of a rotational elevation axis thereof. The weapon station is provided with at least one fixed hanging ammunition container that is reloadable under the armored protection of the vehicle and the weapon station shell. The weapon station may have both electrically-powered and manually-powered drive systems for rotating a pedestal about an azimuth axis relative to the vehicle, and for rotating weaponry and operational units about the elevation axis, wherein the electrical and manual drive systems transmit power through the same output gear.

Abstract: A torque limiter limits transmission of torque between an input shaft an output shaft. The torque limiter may be incorporated in a geared rotary actuator for actuating an aircraft control surface. The torque limiter is responsive to output torque associated with the output shaft instead of input torque associated with the input shaft. The torque limiter includes a structural ground and a gear assembly for transmitting rotational motion of the input shaft to the output shaft. The gear assembly includes a reference gear coupled to the structural ground such that movement of the reference gear relative to the structural ground is dependent upon an output torque at the output shaft. The reference gear is stationary relative to the structural ground when the output torque is below an output torque limit, and the reference gear moves relative the structural ground when the output torque exceeds the output torque limit.

Abstract: An RWS is configurable to adjust the height of a rotational elevation axis thereof by providing interchangeable pairs of removably mounted yoke arms, wherein the pairs have different heights. The RWS is provided with at least one fixed hanging ammunition container that is reloadable under the armored protection of the vehicle and the RWS shell.

Abstract: A load-sensing strut has a main body (26) having a longitudinal loading axis (A) along which an applied load is transmitted, and a load sensing member (38) arranged to carry at least a portion of the applied load when the load is within a predetermined range, wherein the load sensing member (38) includes at least one load sensor (46) generating a load signal. The strut also has a load alleviation member (36) arranged to reduce the portion of the applied load carried by the load sensing member (38) when the applied load is outside the predetermined loading range. Consequently, the load sensors exhibit greater sensitivity to incremental changes in the applied load within the predetermined range, yet the strut provides high strength and is capable of reacting to very high loads outside of the predetermined range. The strut may be used in actuating aircraft control surfaces in a high-lift system.

Abstract: A haptic arm comprising: a user connection element; a reference; a first linkage connecting the user connection element to the reference, where the first linkage provides at least six independent degrees of freedom, and contains an intermediate link, three force sensors, three angle sensors; a second linkage connecting the intermediate link to the reference; a third linkage connecting the intermediate link to the reference a fourth linkage connecting the intermediate link to the reference; the second, third, and fourth linkages each containing an independent actuator and position sensor.

Abstract: A plurality of configuration parameters for setting a device are determined by setting one or more performance parameters. The performance parameters are end-results of configuration that a user desires to achieve by setting the configuration parameters on a device. By setting the performance parameters instead of multiple configuration parameters, the user can conveniently achieve desired performance on the device without having to try many combinations of configuration parameters. When the user sets a performance parameter value, a set of configuration parameters corresponding to the performance value is computed or retrieved. The performance parameters may be set using a user interface element such as a slider that is intuitive and easy to manipulate.

Abstract: The present invention broadly provides improvements in a slip-ring adapted to provide electrical contact between a stator and a rotor. The improved slip-ring includes a brush assembly having a brush tube mounted on the stator and having a fiber bundle composed of a number of individual fibers. The upper marginal end portions of the fibers are received in the brush tube. The lower marginal end portions of the fibers extend beyond the brush tube toward the rotor. The improvements broadly comprise: a central portion of the fibers having been removed below the brush tube such that the fibers extending below the brush tube toward the rotor are in the form of an annulus; and wherein the tangential compliance of the fiber bundle at its point of contact with the rotor is more than twice the tangential compliance of the fiber bundle if the central portion had not been removed.

Abstract: A vibration isolator (100) includes a flexure (102), a constrained VEM layer coupler (104), and a constrained VEM layer (106) configured to oppose relative translational and rotational motion between points of the flexure. The flexure may be a loop flexure and may include multiple loops that may be elliptical, circular, rectangular or square in overall aspect, for example. In multi-loop embodiments, the loops may share a common major axis or their major axes may be at an angle to one another. The device enhances damping by providing an increase in viscoelastic surface area over that available in the surface area of the flexure and provides a method of adjusting the strain in the VEM as the flexure undergoes deflection.

Abstract: Provided are a power management system and method. At least one frame module includes at least one bay and a plurality of first connectors at a rear portion of the at least one bay and at least one power conversion unit positioned in the at least one bay. The at least one power conversion unit includes a plurality of second connectors. Each second connector is removably coupled to a first connector of the plurality of first connectors. The first and second connectors include a combination of high power, cooling, and control connectors.

Abstract: A valve (210) comprising a motor (221) having an output shaft (231) orientated about a motor axis (230), a hydraulic valve having a drive spool (224) configured to move from a first position to a second position, a mechanical linkage (222) between the output shaft (231) and the drive spool (224) having a sleeve (232) mechanically coupled to the output shaft (231), a pole shaft (233) configured for sliding engagement in a direction generally perpendicular to the motor axis, a link (235) connected to the pole shaft (233) by a pivot joint (234), a drive shaft (252) coupled to the link (235) and rotatable about a drive axis, the drive shaft (252) having an end portion to engage and apply a force to the spool (224), and a spring (223) to provide a bias between the pole shaft (233) and the sleeve (232), such that a distance between the motor axis and the pivot joint multiplied by a distance between the drive axis and the applied force is less than a distance between the drive axis and the pivot joint.

Abstract: An improved slip-ring has a stator and a rotor, and includes a brush having a proximal end mounted on one of the stator and rotor and having a distal end engaging the other of the stator and rotor. The brush is adapted to convey electrical signals across the interface between the stator and rotor. The improvement includes: the rotor including a support member (1); and a track provided on the other of the stator and rotor, the track being arranged for sliding contact with the brush distal end; and a thermal element (3 or 6) arranged within the support member for selectively affecting the temperature of the rotor; whereby the temperature operating range of the slip-ring may be increased.

Abstract: A low power method for determining whether a cargo destined for air transport is in a flying state having the steps of: providing a housing for attachment to a cargo the housing having: an accelerometer for detecting a linear acceleration, a gyroscope for detecting an angular rate, a controller measuring a linear acceleration with the accelerometer, measuring an angular rate with the gyroscope, providing the measured linear acceleration and angular rate to the controller, and generating a flight status output signal indicating whether the housing is in a flying state as a function of the linear acceleration signal and angular rate signal.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an energy storage system using a combination of battery and ultra-capacitor storage components and having passive voltage control. An inductor is placed inline between the batteries and ultra-capacitors of the hybrid module. In another embodiment, the inductor/ultra-capacitor module is configured to be connected to a battery. The disclosed device is suitable for use in high-power applications where high-currents can have adverse effects on impedance-matching components.

Abstract: A rotary valve comprises a bushing and a cylindrical spool rotatably received by the bushing. The rotary valve avoids redundant control edge pairs by having exactly one first supply edge pair (P-C1) for controlling a first fluid supply path, exactly one second supply edge pair (P-C2) for controlling a second fluid supply path, exactly one first return edge pair (C2-R1) for controlling a first fluid return path, and exactly one second return edge pair (C1-R2) for controlling a second fluid return path. A first angle between the first supply edge pair and the first return edge pair, and a second angle between the second supply edge pair and the second return edge pair, are each greater than or equal to 120 degrees and less than 180 degrees. Geometric simplicity is achieved by tolerating a limited degree of force imbalance in valve operation.