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 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: 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: 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.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system including an anchor configured to be disposed within a foundation, wherein an upper side of the anchor is configured to be exposed at a surface of the foundation and a wedge-style anti-ram security barrier configured to mechanically couple to the anchor and mount to the surface of the foundation.

Abstract: A combined d.c. brushless motor and drive control assembly for a rotary mower includes a hollow motor housing, a cover removably attached to an open rear end of the housing, and an end shield mounted to an internal shelf of the housing adjacent its rear end. The end shield and a front wall of the housing define rotary bearing seats for a motor drive shaft. An electronic circuit board including motor drive electronics and feedback sensors is mounted to the housing or to the cover, and is positioned at an axial location between the internal shelf of the housing and the rear wall of the cover. The housing is configured for mounting on a shroud of the rotary mower such that at least the removable cover is above the shroud and easily accessible, whereby repair or replacement of the electronic circuit board is facilitated.

Abstract: A true north heading is determined by using gyroscopes of differing accuracy and orienting a gyroscope of a higher accuracy to a direction that is more sensitive to azimuth change (e.g., an east/west direction). A gyroscope with a lower accuracy is placed perpendicular to the gyroscope with a higher accuracy and can be oriented towards a north or south direction. The gyroscopes may be placed on a rotatable platform to properly orient the gyroscopes. The higher-accuracy gyroscope may be implemented by using multiple gyroscopes oriented in the same direction.

Abstract: This invention provides a fiber optic rotary joint (20) for enabling the transmission of digital optical signals across the interface between facing surfaces (26, 29) of a rotor and a stator (21, 22), comprising: a plurality of light sources (42A, 42B, 42C, . . .

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 tuned mass damper may be formed using one or more rotary magnetic dampers (108) coupled to a pendulous mass (102). The tuned mass damper thus formed may be used to suppress the motion of a man-made structure. The mass (308) of the tuned mass damper may be adjusted by adjusting the magnitude of the pendulous mass. The natural frequency of the tuned mass damper may be tuned by adjusting the distance from the mass center of the pendulous mass to the pivot point of the pendulum. The motion being suppressed may be generated by environmental factors such as waves, earthquakes, or wind, for example.

Abstract: This invention provides a fiber optic rotary joint (20) for enabling the transmission of digital optical signals across the interface between facing surfaces (26, 29) of a rotor and a stator (21, 22), comprising: a plurality of light sources (42A, 42B, 42C, . . .

Abstract: A system and method for acoustic quieting and reduction of vibration of an electromechanical actuator (“EMA”) accomplished by using closed loop control techniques using vibration feedback from an EMA mounted sensor to modify the current command in the motor drive electronics to minimize the resultant motor torque ripple.