Abstract: A braking system having a brake disc and a brake plate. The brake disc and brake plate each include three plateaus that include ramps on each end. The plateaus of the brake disc are configured to substantially mate with the plateaus of the brake plate.

Abstract: Servo motor controls are disclosed for passivation in the event of failures with at least two independent control paths and validation of positional information. A sensor assembly generates signals indicative of the position of the motor rotor, and a signal validation detector is used to validate the generated signals and inhibit rotation of the motor rotor when the sensor assembly generates an invalid signal. A first information processor is provided in communication with the sensor assembly for receiving the generated signals to establish an A Lane decision-making channel control path to the PWM interface, and a second information processor is in communication with the sensor assembly to establish a B Lane decision-making channel control path to the PWM interface. Control logic provided with a PWM interface also inhibits rotation of the motor rotor when a decision from the A Lane differs from a decision from the B Lane.

Abstract: A solid core angular position resolver including stator coils and a coil-less rotor, the improvement wherein the rotor comprises a core having a substantially circular cylindrical configuration having on its surface a notch extending substantially helically over part of the surface of the cylindrical configuration.

Abstract: The present invention provides an active control system for coupling the movements of a pair of independently operated manual input devices such as dual flight control sticks operated by a pilot and co-pilot flying an aircraft. Each input device is configured to receive manual input data in the form of angular displacement of the device about one or more rotational axes. The active control system provides desired tactile feedback to an operator who displaces one of the manual input devices in the form of a restorative centering force. If an external system such as an auto-pilot system is engaged, the restorative force may be in a direction necessary to reconcile manual displacement of the input device with a position commanded by the external system, rather than directed toward the center position. The system also acts to reflect manual displacement of each input device as a force applied to the other.

Abstract: A self centering, angularly displacable joystick allowing multiple compound torque profiles is provided. The self centering joystick includes a first mount and a base. The first mount located a fixed distance away from the base. The joystick extends from a restoring plate having an upper surface and a multi-faceted lower surface pivotally mounted to said first mount to partially rotate about a first axis. A linearly displaceable force plate having a substantially flat upper surface is disposed between said base and said multi-faceted surface, and a spring is provide between the base and the force plate, the spring biasing the force plate against the multi-faceted surface to provide a centering force there against. The multifaceted surface includes a center position facet oriented such that the centering force applied by the force plate is evenly distributed on each side of the first axis when said center position facet is aligned parallel with the upper surface of the force plate.

Abstract: A hysteresis slip clutch having an adjustable stall torque is provided. The clutch components include first and second rotors, with a housing at least partially enclosing the rotors. An annular permanent magnet is rigidly mounted on the first rotor and an annular hysteresis sleeve is rigidly mounted to the second rotor. The first and second rotors are mounted within the housing such that the magnet and hysteresis sleeve are concentrically located and axially aligned with one another within the housing. In this orientation, magnetic flux from the magnet penetrates the hysteresis sleeve and magnetic hysteresis developed within the hysteresis sleeve acts to oppose relative angular motion between the first and second rotors. The magnetic hysteresis establishes a torque by which angular motion of the first rotor is transferred to the second. A annular magnetic shunt is adjustably mounted to the housing.

Abstract: An electrical lock for a moving part prevents the part from moving unless a device controlled by the part is in a safe mode. The invention may find a use in many different environments. The specific example here described is a set of reverse thruster doors on a jet engine. The lock prevents a throttle from applying or removing power unless the reverse thruster doors are properly set for such application or removal of power. The lock is removed when the doors reach full deployment or retraction, respectively, which is appropriate for the direction in which said throttle is moved. These functions are provided under the control of a single solenoid.

Abstract: A solenoid has a multistage telescoping plunger which together produce a single stroke. Each plunger stage has a separate air gap individually associated therewith. As the first air gap closes responsive to movement of a first telescoping plunger stage, a portion of the stator becomes magnetically saturated; however, magnetic material has moved with the first plunger stage in order to bridge the saturated position which switches the flux path to a second air gap via a second of the telescoping plunger stages. An advantage is that the solenoid has a long stroke with a high pulling force on both the initial and the final ends of a continuous stroke formed by the separate movements of the first and second plunger stages.

Abstract: A brush holder assembly comprises a non-conductive brush holder body covered by a printed wiring board cover. The brush holder body includes a brush cavity for holding a brush, a spring cavity for holding a spring and a shunt wire cavity for holding a shunt wire. The spring is configured to hold the brush in contact with a commutator at a constant brush pressure throughout the entire length of brush travel. The brush holder body and printed wiring board cover are configured to enclose the brush, spring and shunt wire thus protecting the brush, spring and shunt wire.

Abstract: A DC motor magnetic circuit configuration having reduced flux leakage and improved flux density that leads to greater motor efficiency and a higher motor constant. In one embodiment of the invention, and improved permanent magnet DC motor is provided that has a stator frame supporting a plurality of pole pieces in proximity to a rotor rotatably accommodated therein. The improvement comprises at least one of the pole pieces having a pole face lying in a plane that intersects both isotropic and anisotropic planes of the pole piece.

Abstract: A multiple pole, multiple phase, permanent magnet motor comprising a rotor having a plurality of permanent magnet poles, a stator having a plurality of stator slots and an equal number of stator teeth defined by adjacent stator slots, and a plurality of phase windings disposed on the stator, each phase winding including a plurality of coils having a non-uniform number of turns, such that electromagnetic poles are developed in proximity to the stator, the electromagnetic poles for each phase being distributed symmetrically about the stator, equidistant from one another, and equal in number to the number of permanent magnet rotor poles. The number of turns of each of the plurality of coils of each phase winding is selected in accordance with a predetermined sinusoidal relation.

Abstract: A limited large angle dynamoelectric machine generates a constant torque over an arc greater than 180 degrees without discontinuity and zero cogging. At any given location of the rotor, the flux path of the machine only crosses the stator coil at a single location. This results in the elimination of any type of commutation of the stator coil.

Abstract: A coupling mechanism is disclosed for coaxially connecting a pair of connectable components, such as a pair of transducer assemblies each having a stator. A coupling ring is carried by one stator and engageable with the other for drawing the stators together axially in response to relative rotation of the coupling ring. First friction mechanism between the stators prevent relative rotation between the stators after the stators are aligned angularly to align the electrical zeros thereof. Second friction mechanism of lesser coefficient of friction between the coupling ring and the one stator permit relative rotation therebetween whereby the stators can be finally coupled by further rotation of the coupling member while the first friction means maintains the stators in zero electrical alignment. Subsequently, locking washers are fastened between the coupling ring and stators to permanently lock the stators in relative aligned position.

Abstract: A coupling mechanism is disclosed for coaxially connecting a pair of connectable components, such as a pair of transducer assemblies each having a stator. A coupling ring is carried by one stator and engageable with the other for drawing the stators together axially in response to relative rotation of the coupling ring. First friction mechanism between the stators prevent relative rotation between the stators after the stators are aligned angularly to align the electrical zeros thereof. Second friction mechanism of lesser coefficient of friction between the coupling ring and the one stator permit relative rotation therebetween whereby the stators can be finally coupled by further rotation of the coupling member while the first friction means maintains the stators in zero electrical alignment. Subsequently, locking washers are fastened between the coupling ring and stators to permanently lock the stators in relative aligned position.