Abstract: A heating device for wireless charging/temperature maintenance of an energy storage device having a core with an electrolyte having ions therein. The device including an energy storage device; a heater/ionic exciter configured to provide a positive input current and a negative input current at the energy storage device. The battery heater/ionic exciter operates in each of two modes, a first mode is a heating mode where a current frequency of alternating positive and negative input currents is set at or close to a maximum heating rate to substantially maximize an internal heating effect of the ions within the electrolyte of the energy storage device to generate heat and raise a temperature of the electrolyte, and a second two mode is a primarily ionic-excitation mode in which the current frequency is set above the maximum heating rate to generate ionic-excitation of the electrolyte ions.

Abstract: An energy storage system including: an energy storage device including a battery core and outer casing; and a heating device at least partially surrounding an outer periphery of the battery core. The heating device includes: a first compartment having a heating pyrotechnic material disposed therein; and a second compartment having a phase changing material disposed therein. Where the first compartment has a first surface that contacts at least a portion of a second surface of the second compartment.

Abstract: An inertial igniter including: a base; a first movable member, movable relative to the base in a first direction, the first movable member having a blocking portion; a second movable member movable relative to the base in a second direction, the second movable member having an engaging portion and an activation portion; and an intermediary member having a first portion engaged with the engaging portion and a second portion engaged with the blocking portion. Wherein upon the base experiencing an acceleration profile greater than a predetermined acceleration profile, the blocking portion disengages with the second portion allowing the intermediary member to move such that the first portion disengages with the engaging portion allowing the activation portion to move from an inactivated position to an activated position.

Abstract: An inertial mechanism including a member rotatable about an axis between activatable and activated positions, in the activatable position a first center of mass of the member is offset from the axis in a direction perpendicular to a direction of acceleration, the member having a surface; and another member rotatable about an axis between rest and activated positions, the rest position being where the second member cannot be moved into its activated position from an acceleration event, the other member also having a surface, the surfaces engage with each other when the member moves to its activated position to move the other member from its rest position to its activatable position, which is also where a center of mass of the other member is offset from its axis in the direction perpendicular to the direction of the acceleration.

Abstract: A charging heating device for charging and temperature maintenance of an energy storage device having a core with an electrolyte, with one input having characteristics of a frequency-dependent resistor and inductor series coupled to a voltage source, the device including: a coupling coupled to the one input; an exciter coupled to the coupling, the exciter provides a positive and negative input current at the one input, the exciter operates a heating mode where a current frequency is set at or close to a maximum heating rate to internally heat the electrolyte, and an ionic-excitation mode where the current frequency is set above the maximum heating rate to generate ionic-excitation of the electrolyte ions; an input coupled to a charger; a switch coupling the device input and the coupling; and a controller controlling the exciter and switching of the modes.

Abstract: A shock testing machine including: a test platform; a carriage for carrying the test platform; one or more rails movably supporting one or both test platform and the carriage; a stop for stopping the carriage in a testing direction; and a brake for decelerating the carriage after the carriage engages the stop. Wherein the brake includes: a braking member separate from the carriage, the braking member having braking material separated by a gap, the carriage configured to expose the braking member to the stop when the carriage moves past the stop in the testing direction; and an elongated member extending from the carriage, the elongated member extending through the gap, respectively, in the braking member such that a braking pressure is applied from the braking material to the elongated member to decelerate the carriage when a braking surface of the braking member engages a braking surface of the stop.

Abstract: A mechanism including: a toggle rotatably connected to a base structure; a stop fixed to the base for limiting a rotational travel of the toggle, the stop being fixed to the base such that there is no relative movement between the stop and the base; a biasing element having a first end attached to the base and a second end attached to the toggle to bias the toggle towards the stop when the toggle is positioned on a first side of a singular position and the toggle is biased towards an opposite direction from the stop when the toggle is positioned on a second side of the singular position; and an inertial element movably disposed relative to the base and the toggle to move the toggle from the first side to the second side of the singular position when the base undergoes an acceleration event greater than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A method for harvesting energy from a train passing over a railroad rail. The method including transferring a deflection of the rail from the train to a mechanical energy storage device; storing mechanical energy provided by the transfer mechanism until a predetermined amount of mechanical energy is stored; transferring the stored mechanical energy to a generator upon the stored mechanical energy reaching the predetermined amount; and converting the transferred mechanical energy to electrical energy.

Abstract: A heating circuit including: a resonance circuit couplable to an energy storage device for providing alternating between a positive input current and a negative input current at the energy storage device when coupled to the energy storage device, wherein the positive input current flows in to the energy storage device and the negative input current flows out of the energy storage device, wherein the resonance circuit provides the alternating stepwise at the energy storage device, with a step between the positive input current and the negative input current wherein no positive input current and negative input current is provided; a controller that controls the resonance circuit to provide the alternating, and the resonance circuit provides the alternating positive and negative input currents at a frequency sufficient to effectively short the internal surface capacitance of the energy storage device to generate heat and raise a temperature of the electrolyte.

Abstract: System for direct battery electrolyte and supercapacitor heating and temperature maintenance at low temperatures when coupled to a battery and/or supercapacitor having a core with an electrolyte having ions therein and having inputs, with one of the inputs having characteristics of a frequency-dependent resistor and inductor series coupled to a voltage source, the device including: at least one power storage and source couplable to the one input; and a controller configured to control the power storage and source to provide alternating between a positive input current and a negative input current at the one input, wherein the controller is configured to control the power storage and source to provide the alternating positive and negative input currents at a high-frequency configured to substantially maximize an internal heating effect of the ions within the electrolyte to generate heat and raise a temperature of the electrolyte.

Abstract: A thermal battery including: a battery core; and a load-bearing structure at least partially surrounding the battery core. The load-bearing structure including: a plurality of tubes arranged adjacent to one another and connected to at least one adjacent tube of the plurality of tubes; and an exothermic material disposed in the plurality of tubes. The load-bearing structure can include one or more initiation devices for initiating the exothermic material. The plurality of tubes can be compressed in a cross-section to compact the exothermic material disposed on the plurality of tubes. A thermal isolation material can also be disposed at one or more ends of the plurality of tubes.

Abstract: A thermal battery including: a casing; a battery cell disposed in the casing; a pair of electrical leads extending from the casing and electrically connected to the battery cell; a heat generating pyrotechnic material, separate from the battery cell, at least partially surrounding the battery cell; and a thin metallic layer disposed between the battery cell and the heat generating pyrotechnic material for increasing a uniformity of heat distribution from the heat generating pyrotechnic material to the battery cell.

Abstract: A method for storing energy in a device upon acceleration of the device. The method including: permitting a first movable member configured to be movable in one direction relative to a base; biasing the first movable member in a second direction opposed to the first direction; permitting a plurality of second movable members, to be each movable towards an engagement surface of the first movable member when subjected to a predetermined acceleration event in a direction offset from the first direction; and sequentially engaging a portion of the engagement surface, which when pressed causes a movement of the first movable member in the one direction against a biasing force of the first biasing member, upon an increasing acceleration of the base such that energy is stored in the first biasing member.

Abstract: An inertial mechanical delay mechanism including: a first member rotatable about a first axis in a first direction. The first member having a first center of mass offset from a line parallel to a direction of acceleration and perpendicular from the first axis. A first elastic material exerts a first biasing force to the first member to bias the first member in a second direction. A second member is rotatable about a second axis in a third direction. The second member rotatable in a third direction by at least indirect interaction with the first member when the first member rotates a first angle in the first direction. A second elastic material exerts a second biasing force to the second member to bias the second member in a fourth direction. The first member is configured to rotate the first angle when the acceleration is greater than a predetermined magnitude and duration.

Abstract: A device for decelerating a vehicle traveling on one or more rails, the device including: energy absorbing units disposed along a direction of travel of the vehicle, the energy absorbing units each having a first surface for engagement with a second surface disposed on the vehicle such that the energy absorbing units are compressed when the second surface travels past and engages with the first surface of the energy absorbing units; wherein the absorbing units, when compressed, are configured to convert a kinetic energy of the vehicle to one or more of potential, heat and electrical energy; and the energy absorbing units are opposed to each other in a lateral direction relative to a direction of travel of the vehicle such that forces acting on the second surface from the energy absorbing units cancel in the lateral direction.

Abstract: A method for assembling a thermal battery. The method including: arranging a plurality of tubes into a cylindrical shape; connecting the plurality of tubes to each other; attaching a first plate to a first end of the connected plurality of tubes into corresponding holes in the first plate; providing an initiation device to the first end of each of the plurality of tubes; filling each of the plurality of tubes from a second end with an exothermic material; assembling thermal battery components inside the connected plurality of tubes; connecting terminal wires to the thermal battery components; and connecting the second end of the connected plurality to a second plate.

Abstract: A metal-oxygen battery including: a battery core, gas container and a movable member. The battery core including a metal anode; a non-aqueous electrolyte; a porous cathode; and terminals for providing electrical power from the battery core. The gas container being configured to hold a pressurized gas at least partially comprising oxygen. The movable member being configured to be movable from a non-activated position in which the pressurized gas in the container is sealed from entering the porous cathode and an activated position in which the pressurized gas flows into the porous cathode to activate the battery core.

Abstract: A method for rotating a toggle link upon an acceleration event greater than a predetermined threshold. The method including: biasing a toggle link against a stop when the acceleration event is less than the predetermined threshold, a position of the toggle link against the stop being on a first side of a singular position of the toggle link; biasing the toggle link towards an opposite direction from the stop when the toggle link is positioned on a second side of the singular position; and moving the toggle link from the first side of the singular position to the second side of the singular position when the base structure undergoes an acceleration event greater than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A collapsible storage unit including: a plurality of triangular sidewalls at least partially defining a cavity for storing a liquid electrolyte therein; wherein the plurality of triangular sidewalls are configured to collapse in a longitudinal direction about a hinge disposed between adjacent sides of each of the plurality of triangular sidewalls.

Abstract: A system including a polarized RF scanning reference source and one or more cavity sensor receivers.