Patents Assigned to Textron Systems Corporation
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Patent number: 6694285Abstract: A monitoring method and device which is capable of determining the overall fitness or condition of the device being monitored while simultaneously detecting unknown or unrecognized vibration frequencies. In addition, setting threshold values corresponding to the environment surrounding the device reduces the incidence of false alarms. False alarms may be controlled while detection of true alarms may be maximized by assigning values indicative of thresholds crossed and averaging the values before issuing an alarm. The monitoring system may also provide detailed information as to the operating condition of the device so as to allow the device to operate closer to its margin of safety. Thus, the device may handle more power or speed, without the need to modify the physical design. In addition, an onboard processing unit may be used to determine when the physical load on the device is approaching its physical limits and warn the operator so as to prevent the device from exceeding those limits.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1999Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: Textron System CorporationInventors: Howard C. Choe, Alan C. Chachich, Jaime A. Woodroffe
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Patent number: 6688169Abstract: An acoustic system has an acoustic sensor and a processing circuit. The acoustic sensor includes a base, a microphone having a microphone diaphragm supported by the base, and a hot-wire anemometer having a set of hot-wire extending members supported by the base. The set of hot-wire extending members defines a plane which is substantially parallel to the microphone diaphragm. The processing circuit receives a sound and wind pressure signal from the microphone and a wind velocity signal from the hot-wire anemometer, and provides an output signal based on the sound and wind pressure signal from the microphone and the wind velocity signal from the hot-wire anemometer (e.g., accurate sound with wind noise removed). The configuration of the hot-wire extending members defining a plane which is substantially parallel to the microphone diaphragm can be easily implemented in a MEMS device making the configuration suitable for miniaturized applications.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2001Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Textron Systems CorporationInventors: Howard C. Choe, Emel S. Bulat
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Patent number: 6673174Abstract: Plastic bonded explosive (PBX) compositions utilizing CL-20 as the oxidizer, and particularly when the CL-20 is blended with particular combinations of binders and/or plasticizers, have been found to yield synergistic chemical combinations which demonstrate higher energy density and increased penetration power and impetus in military weapons and similar applications.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2001Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: Textron Systems CorporationInventor: Sami Daoud
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Patent number: 6672194Abstract: A energetic-based piston actuator system imparts a rotational motion in the piston in a manner that increases system efficiency and reliability. A malleable ring mounted about the piston neck obturates upon initiation of the energetic charge, and rifling provided on an interior surface of the actuator barrel causes the ring to rotate, and causes a counter-rotation in the piston. The rotating ring serves as a seal for preventing gas blow-by and the rotating piston is more dynamically stable throughout its travel down the barrel.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2001Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: Textron Systems CorporationInventor: Sami Daoud
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Patent number: 6672215Abstract: A high-precision pyrotechnic initiator is well adapted for rapid, precise ignition of solid and liquid energetics. A rigid housing, for example formed of stainless steel, contains a pyrotechnic. When ignited, the reaction, or explosion, of the pyrotechnic is confined to the housing. The release of energy creates a hot particulate in which the formation of solid byproducts is mitigated or eliminated. The flame is directed through an outlet. In one embodiment, a microcapillary tube may be placed in communication with the outlet, the tube including a primary front vent and secondary side vents, which serve to increase system efficiency and reliability. A dual bridge wire may be provided for improving system reliability. The resulting assembly thereby performs the combined functions of both an igniter and a flash tube and a complete ignition train is provided in a manner that overcomes the limitations of the conventional configurations.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2001Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: Textron Systems CorporationInventor: Sami Daoud
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Patent number: 6666145Abstract: A method and system for extracting and targeting multiple submunitions from a delivery vehicle. Each submunition may be self-extracting, recoil-less extracting, self-spin initiating, and/or sensor fuzed.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2001Date of Patent: December 23, 2003Assignee: Textron Systems CorporationInventors: Ralph L. Nardone, Richard McConville
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Patent number: 6624925Abstract: An active optical amplifier in which a unitary optical amplifier constructed from a unitary optically transparent chip that has been doped so as to be optically active, amplifies incoming signal photons when excited by a pump laser of sufficient energy. The unitary optical amplifier receives input photons and pump laser energy and provides output photons that have the same spatial orientation and phase as the corresponding input photons. A laser direction and ranging (LADAR) may be constructed from the active optical amplifier by further including first imaging optics to focus the input photons onto the surface of the unitary optical amplifier and second imaging optics to focus the output photons from the active unitary optical amplifier onto a focal plane image sensor array. The electronic signals from the focal plane image sensor array may then be displayed on a conventional display.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2001Date of Patent: September 23, 2003Assignee: Textron Systems CorporationInventors: Victor Hasson, Hsian P. Chou
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Patent number: 6603536Abstract: An optical correlator is used to detect the presence of a target in a laser detection and ranging (LADAR) system by analyzing the return signal, and to provide initial estimates of the targets range and velocity to the LADAR receiver. The optical correlator includes an acoustic optical Bragg cell that deflects an input laser signal using the received and down-converted LADAR signal. An integrating optical detector is disposed to receive the optical outputs of the acoustic optical Bragg cell and an optical processor analyzes and processes the integrating optical detector data. The integrating optical detector integrates the optical outputs of the Bragg cell over time and the integrating optical detector output is sampled over a sampling period so that target detection is uncorrelated to noise.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2002Date of Patent: August 5, 2003Assignee: Textron Systems CorporationInventors: Victor Hasson, Gerald A. Nordstrom
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Publication number: 20030100239Abstract: The present invention relates to carbon-matrix composites, such as carbon-carbon composites, and a method for forming them by forming a fabric of fusible and infusible fibers which can be processed and carbonized to form a composite. The methods disclosed herein permit preparation of composites which are particularly thin, uniform, and highly pure. The invention also relates to preprocessed fabrics and precarbonized composites, such as those comprising carbon or oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers and fusible polyacrylonitrile fibers.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2001Publication date: May 29, 2003Applicant: Textron Systems CorporationInventors: John J. Gaffney, Raymond C. Loszewski
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Publication number: 20030070575Abstract: A high-precision pyrotechnic initiator is well adapted for rapid, precise ignition of solid and liquid energetics. A rigid housing, for example formed of an SiC-treated semiconductor substrate material, contains a pyrotechnic. When ignited, the reaction, or explosion, of the pyrotechnic is confined to the housing. The release of energy creates a hot particulate in which the formation of solid byproducts is mitigated or eliminated. The flame is directed through an outlet. In one embodiment, a microcapillary tube may be placed in communication with the outlet, the tube including a primary front vent and secondary side vents, which serve to increase system efficiency and reliability. A dual bridge wire may be provided for improving system reliability. The resulting assembly thereby performs the combined functions of both an igniter and a flash tube and a complete ignition train is provided in a manner that overcomes the limitations of the conventional configurations.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2002Publication date: April 17, 2003Applicant: Textron Systems CorporationInventor: Sami Daoud
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Patent number: 6546814Abstract: Torque information of a rotating machine may be determined by counting a number of discrete samples representing a rotation of a rotating component. If the number of discrete samples representing the rotation of the rotating component changes, it may be assumed that the torque has changed due to a change in loading placed on the rotating machine. The amount of change in torque may be determined by determining the amount of change in the number of discrete samples representing the rotation of the rotating component.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1999Date of Patent: April 15, 2003Assignee: Textron Systems CorporationInventors: Howard C. Choe, Jonathan M. Glesmann
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Publication number: 20030062103Abstract: Plastic bonded explosive (PBX) compositions utilizing CL-20 as the oxidizer, and particularly when the CL-20 is blended with particular combinations of binders and/or plasticizers, have been found to yield synergistic chemical combinations which demonstrate higher energy density and increased penetration power and impetus in military weapons and similar applications.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2001Publication date: April 3, 2003Applicant: Textron Systems CorporationInventor: Sami Daoud
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Patent number: 6510397Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for determining whether the sensors or the used in a device monitoring system are properly functioning before rendering a determination as to a defect within the device itself. As a result, maintenance costs may be reduced while limiting the number of false indications of failure, thereby increasing the reliability of the monitoring system.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1999Date of Patent: January 21, 2003Assignee: Textron Systems CorporationInventor: Howard C. Choe
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Patent number: 6483583Abstract: An apparatus and method for utilizing NIR spectrography for measuring major constituents of substances in real time includes a monochromator or other sensor having no moving optical parts. At least one of the monochromator and the substance are moving relative to one another. An NIR radiation source irradiates a substance and the reflected or passed-through radiation is transmitted to the monochromator, which isolates and detects narrow portions of the received spectrum. By analyzing the intensities and wavelengths of the received radiation, the presence and amount of major constituents of the substance can be determined.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 1999Date of Patent: November 19, 2002Assignee: Textron Systems CorporationInventors: Steven L. Wright, Thomas B. Brumback, Jr., William S. Niebur, Roland Welle
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Patent number: 6455138Abstract: A metallized composite comprising a first thermoplastic layer, a discontinuous intermediate layer comprising discrete islands of metal in an adhesive, and a second thermoplastic layer. The metallized composites of the invention can be employed as reflective surfaces, such as are used as mirrors or substitutes for chrome trim on automobiles. A particularly preferred metal as a component of the discontinuous layer of the composite is indium.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1998Date of Patent: September 24, 2002Assignee: Textron System CorporationInventor: Adam Murano
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Publication number: 20020108708Abstract: A metallized composite includes a thermoplastic sheet and at least one discontinuous layer of metal within the thermoplastic sheet. The discontinuous metal layer can be disposed between two thermoplastic layers that are bound together, such as by melting the layers together, pressing, or by use of an adhesive. The metallized composites of the invention can be employed as reflective surfaces, such as are used as mirrors or substitutes for chrome trim on automobiles. A particularly preferred metal as a component of the discontinuous layer of the composite is indium.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2002Publication date: August 15, 2002Applicant: Textron Systems CorporationInventor: Adam Murano
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Patent number: 6425293Abstract: A sensor plug for use in sensing a plurality of operating conditions of a gearbox is disclosed. The sensor plug includes a body defining an axis. A probe end is formed at one end of the body and is particularly adapted for attaching to an oil drain plug of the gearbox. A plurality of sensors are located within the body for sensing operating conditions of the gearbox through the probe end. Examples of the sensors located within the body include a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, and a pressure sensor.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1999Date of Patent: July 30, 2002Assignee: Textron Systems CorporationInventors: Jaime A. Woodroffe, Alan C. Chachich, Jonathan M. Glesmann, Howard C. Choe, Kevin J. Keane
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Patent number: 6424416Abstract: Percentage concentrations of constituents or color components of a sample are determined using a spectral analyzer with a wide illumination spot size and detector. The analyzer irradiates the sample, picks up diffuse reflectance of individual wavelengths from the sample and spatially separates the diffuse reflectance into a response at individual wavelengths. The result is to simultaneously detect the intensities of the individual wavelengths in parallel from the sample being analyzed. Percentage constituents of a composite substance can be determined or, alternatively, the components of color in a sample can be determined by analyzing wavelengths of reflected light.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 1999Date of Patent: July 23, 2002Assignee: Textron Systems CorporationInventors: Erich R. Gross, Anthony S. Lee
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Patent number: 6418805Abstract: The present invention is directed to a constituent sensing system including a container for holding a flowable product. A moveable member is positioned within the container for moving the flowable product within the container in a manner which simulates a flow of the flowable product. A probe is positioned proximate to the moving flowable product for analyzing the moving flowable product.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 1999Date of Patent: July 16, 2002Assignee: Textron Systems CorporationInventors: Kevin J. Carney, John S. Brown
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Patent number: 6408218Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring the assembling, testing, and inspection of a product is provided comprising a plurality of kits, wherein each kit contains a plurality of parts to be assembled together to form a product. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of cue cards with each card having a status indicator corresponding to the assembly progress of a particular kit. A display device is further provided to visually display the plurality of cue cards. The status indicator of each cue card can indicate to load the parts into the kits, that the parts are ready to be assembled, that the parts are being assembled, and that the parts in the kit are assembled. A movable indicator, such as a pin, is movable between the status positions to visually indicate the same. The cue card further includes a priority level indicator that corresponds to the priority level of a particular kit.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 1999Date of Patent: June 18, 2002Assignee: Textron Systems CorporationInventors: Francis W. Hallahan, Thomas M. Olson