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: The present invention relates generally to optical rotary joints (35) for enabling optical communication between a rotor and a stator, and to improved methods of mounting such optical rotary joints on supporting structures such that the rotor and stator remain properly aligned.

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: Embodiments of the invention provide a machine that blends liquids and/or shaves ice. The machine includes a motor and a control system with an integrated power factor correction circuit and a drive circuit. The integrated power factor correction circuit receives input power from a mains power line, reduces noise transmitted to the mains power line, and provides a boosted, regulated output voltage. The drive circuit is connected to the motor and uses the regulated output voltage in order to control an effective voltage applied to the motor substantially independent of the voltage and frequency of the input power.

Abstract: A system and method for more accurately and robustly determining the heading of a vehicle by taking measurements of angle rates using rate sensors mounted on a movable mechanical assembly. In a quasi-static state of the vehicle, the mechanical assembly is rotated around axes perpendicular to the tangent plane of the Earth, and angle rates are measured by the rate sensors at different rotational angles of the mechanical assembly. The measurements of the angle rates are then computed to determine the initial heading of the vehicle relative to the true north of the Earth in the quasi-static state of the vehicle. After determining the initial heading, navigation state propagation is performed to determine the heading of the vehicle in non-quasi-static state of the vehicle. By taking measurements of the rate sensors at different rotation angles and performing computation, the heading of the vehicle relative to the Earth's true north can be determined using less accurate angle sensors.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved collimating lens assemblies (32) which include: a singlemode fiber (38) terminating in a distal end; a step-index multimode fiber (44) having a proximal end abutting to the singlemode fiber distal end, and having a distal end; a graded-index multimode fiber (45) having a proximal end abutting the step-index multimode fiber distal end, and having a distal end; and a collimating lens (34) longitudinally spaced from the graded-index multimode fiber distal end by an intermediate air gap (43), and operatively arranged to collimate light rays emanating from the graded-index multimode fiber distal end. The improved collimating lens assembly is characterized by the fact that there is no epoxy, silicone gel or index-matching material between the graded-index multimode fiber distal end and the collimating lens.

Abstract: Correcting a temperature measurement of a target sensed at one temperature sensor in an asset tracking device by using another temperature sensor. The asset tracking device includes at least one heat source that affects the temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the target. The other temperature sensor measures temperature at a location in the asset tracking device. The relationships between an actual temperature of the target and the temperature measured at the two sensors are established through experiments or model. Using the relationships, the measured temperature of the target can be corrected to obtain a corrected temperature of the target.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique improvement (23) in an electronic motor drive (20) having an LC filter (21) to reduce conducted emissions from a motor (M) back to a voltage source (V1). The improvement broadly includes diode (24) in series with the inductor (L1) of said filter to prevent transmission of regenerative power from the motor to said voltage source; and a bypass switch (25) arranged in parallel with the diode and selectively operable to enable transmission of regenerative power from the motor to said voltage source.

Abstract: A device (20) has an electrically-operated brake (37) and a manually-operated auxiliary brake (27). The electrically-operated brake includes a coil (70), a core (68), an armature (69), and an alternating series of friction pads (74) and brake disks (75), that are arranged to be compressed between the housing and the armature. The shaft brake (27) includes a collar (22) mounted on the housing for combined axial and rotative movement relative thereto, a first interlock portion (106, 110) mounted on the shaft (24), an annular member (84) surrounding the shaft and having a second interlock portion (85) and a spring (124) urging the member to move toward the shaft. The collar (22) is adapted to be selectively moved relative to the housing between a first portion at which the first (106, 110) and second (85) interlock portions are physically engaged with one another, and a second position at which the first (106, 110) and second (85) interlock portions are physically separated from one another.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to optical rotary joints (35) for enabling optical communication between a rotor and a stator, improved methods of mounting such optical rotary joints on supporting structures such that the rotor and stator remain properly aligned, and to improved optical reflector assemblies for use in such optical rotary joints.

Abstract: A twist capsule (10) broadly includes: a flexible tape (13), and a pre-emphasis circuit (11) operatively associated with said tape to compensate for attenuation of high-frequency digital waveform constituents attributable to skin effect and/or dielectric loss, such that the operational bandwidth of signal transmitted over said tape may be increased. An equalization circuit (14) may be arranged at the output end of the tape to further extend the operational bandwidth.

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: This invention provides an improvement in a control stick (e.g., joystick, side-stick, etc.) (20) adapted to control the movement of an object (e.g., an airfoil surface). The improvement includes: a support (21); an intermediately-pivoted upper member (23) mounted on the support, the upper member having an upper portion (24), and lower portion (25); an intermediate member (26) having an upper portion pivotally connected to the upper member lower portion, and having a lower portion; and a lower member (29) having a lower portion pivotally mounted on the support, and having an upper portion; and wherein the intermediate member lower portion is movably mounted on the lower member such that pivotal movement of the upper member upper portion relative to the support will produce pivotal movement of the intermediate and lower members relative to the support; and a resilient member (31) arranged to bias the direction of relative movement between the intermediate and lower members.

Abstract: This invention provides an improvement in a control stick (e.g., joystick, side-stick, etc.) (20) adapted to control the movement of an object (e.g., an airfoil surface). The improvement includes: a support (21); an intermediately-pivoted upper member (23) mounted on the support, the upper member having an upper portion (24), and lower portion (25); an intermediate member (26) having an upper portion pivotally connected to the upper member lower portion, and having a lower portion; and a lower member (29) having a lower portion pivotally mounted on the support, and having an upper portion; and wherein the intermediate member lower portion is movably mounted on the lower member such that pivotal movement of the upper member upper portion relative to the support will produce pivotal movement of the intermediate and lower members relative to the support; and a resilient member (31) arranged to bias the direction of relative movement between the intermediate and lower members.

Abstract: A composite ring gear (10) with a metallic gear insert (30) has at least one filament (34) wound about the gear insert and an eyelet (32) a plurality of times. The filament is adapted to withstand a portion of a tensile load transmitted between the insert and the eyelet. The insert, eyelet and filament are then embedded in a composite material.

Abstract: This invention provides an improvement in a control stick (e.g., joystick, side-stick, etc.) (20) adapted to control the movement of an object (e.g., an airfoil surface). The improvement includes: a support (21); an intermediately-pivoted upper member (23) mounted on the support, the upper member having an upper portion (24), and lower portion (25); an intermediate member (26) having an upper portion pivotally connected to the upper member lower portion, and having a lower portion; and a lower member (29) having a lower portion pivotally mounted on the support, and having an upper portion; and wherein the intermediate member lower portion is movably mounted on the lower member upper portion such that pivotal movement of the upper member upper portion relative to the support will produce pivotal movement of the intermediate and lower members relative to the support; and a resilient member (31) arranged to bias the direction of relative movement between the intermediate and lower members.

Abstract: An inertially referenced motion sensor that may be rigidly coupled to a relative motion sensor. Signals from the relative motion sensor and inertially referenced motion sensor may be combined to produce an inertially referenced relative signal.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved two-stage actuator (20)? that broadly includes: a first cylinder (21); an intensifier piston (22) mounted in the first cylinder for sealed sliding movement therealong, the intensifier piston having a large-area surface (26, A1) exposed to ambient pressure, and having a small-area surface (30, A2); a second cylinder (23) having an end wall (36); an actuator piston (24) mounted in the second cylinder for sealed sliding movement therealong; an actuator rod (39) connected to the actuator piston for movement therewith and having an intermediate portion sealingly penetrating the second cylinder end wall; the actuator piston having a large-area surface (27, A3) and a small-area surface (37, A4), an intermediate chamber (35) communicating the intensifier piston small-area surface with the actuator piston large-area surface; and an incompressible fluid in the chamber; whereby ambient pressure (i.e.

Abstract: An improved motor (90) broadly including a first member (30) and a second member (20) mounted for movement relative to one another. The first member has a plurality of poles (32) spaced substantially equidistantly. The second member has a plurality of arms (22). Each arm includes a plurality of fingers (27), a permanent magnet (29), and a coil (25). The fingers are arranged such that their distal end generally faces toward the poles on the first member. Each permanent magnet has a width that is greater than the pole spacing. Each arm is associated with one of a number of phases. The fingers of the arms within a particular phase are arranged such that they simultaneously align with respective poles when the first and second members are in one position relative to one another.

Abstract: A power supply (20) for providing a desired current to an electric load (23) broadly comprises: a current limiter (21) for providing a desired current; a current sensor (28) for determining the actual current supplied by the current limiter and providing a feedback signal (30, 31) to the current limiter for causing the current limiter to adjust to reduce the error between the desired and the actual currents; and a test circuit (24) for temporarily changing the actual current sensed by the current sensor to a level different from the desired current for causing the current limiter to adjust the magnitude of the current provided thereby; whereby the operation of the power supply may be tested. The invention also provides an improved method of operating such a power supply.