Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a sensor that includes a first axial sensor housing portion having a first cross-sectional area, a second axial sensor housing portion arranged adjacent to the first axial sensor housing portion along the sensor axis and having a second cross-sectional area larger than the first cross-sectional area, and a face extending from the interior surface of the first axial sensor housing portion to the interior surface of the second axial sensor housing portion, a first buffer rod within the first axial sensor housing portion and having a first axial end and a second axial end, a second buffer rod within the second axial sensor housing portion and abutting the face, and having a third axial end and a fourth axial end, and an acoustic transceiver element acoustically mated to the second axial end and the third axial end.

Abstract: Embodiments of a metering valve for a fuel nozzle are disclosed. The metering valve includes a fitting having an interior cavity and an inlet, a liner disposed within the interior cavity, and a spool having an orifice. The liner includes inlet ports, and the spool is disposed within the liner. The spool is configured to slide within the liner to control flow between the inlet and the orifice. The spool has an open position in which the spool uncovers the inlet ports, a closed position in which the spool is seated against the fitting, and a lifted off position in which the spool is not seated against the fitting and covers the inlet ports. A dribble flow path through at least one of the spool or the liner provides fluid communication between the inlet and the orifice when the spool is in the lifted off position.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a system designed to compensate for flow disturbances when changing a flow rate in the system. The system includes a flow source device having an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is configured to receive fluid at a first pressure, and the outlet is configured to output the fluid at a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure. The system also includes a fluid control device having an inlet port and a drain port. The inlet port of the fluid control device is configured to receive flow from the outlet of the flow source device. Further, the system includes a constant flow regulator configured to provide a leakage flow to a drain output. The constant flow regulator is configured to decrease the leakage flow in response to the drain port of the fluid control device.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a torque motor monitoring system that includes a first observer module configured to receive a first collection of operational information about a torque motor when the torque motor is operating normally, and determine a duty offset ratio value based on the first collection of operational information, a second observer module configured to receive a second collection of operational information about a torque motor, determine a MOSFET gate duty ratio value based on the second collection of operational information and the duty offset ratio value, and determine a motor current value, and a fault detection module configured to identify a fault in the torque motor based on the MOSFET gate duty ratio value, the motor current value, and a predetermined fault determination threshold value.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a linear actuator lock apparatus having a housing having an inner surface defining an axial cavity having a first housing portion where the axial cavity has a first lateral size, a second housing portion having a second, larger lateral size, and a face from the first housing portion to the second housing portion, a lock assembly having a lock carrier configured for movement within the cavity between a first position and a position, and a lock finger affixed to and extending away from the lock carrier, where the second finger end is configured to contact the face when extended and fit within the first housing portion when retracted, and a sleeve configured to move between a position in which the lock finger is permitted to extend and a position configured to contact and retract the lock finger.

Abstract: Disclosed are seal arrangements in a hydraulic device. The seal arrangement includes a seal channel defining a loop. A seal is seated within the seal channel. A coolant flow passage has a first part intersecting with the seal channel at a first point and a second part intersecting with the seal channel at a second point. The first part of the coolant flow passage is configured to provide hydraulic fluid to the seal channel such that, at the first point, a first portion of the hydraulic fluid flows in a first direction around the loop and a second portion of the hydraulic fluid flows in a second direction opposite to the first direction around the loop. At the second point, the first portion of hydraulic fluid and the second portion of hydraulic fluid are configured to flow into the second part of the coolant flow passage.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a rotary lock assembly that includes an epicyclic gear assembly that includes a sun gear assembly having a sun gear axial aperture defined therein, a ring gear assembly, and a planet gear assembly mechanically engaged to the sun gear assembly and to the ring gear assembly, a lock motor configured to urge rotation of the sun gear assembly, and a screw lead extending axially through the sun gear axial aperture.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a linear actuator lock apparatus having a housing having an inner surface defining an axial cavity having a first housing portion where the axial cavity has a first lateral size, a second housing portion having a second, larger lateral size, and a face from the first housing portion to the second housing portion, a lock assembly having a lock carrier configured for movement within the cavity between a first position and a position, and a lock finger affixed to and extending away from the lock carrier, where the second finger end is configured to contact the face when extended and fit within the first housing portion when retracted, and a sleeve configured to move between a position in which the lock finger is permitted to extend and a position configured to contact and retract the lock finger.

Abstract: An inline variable sonic valve is provided that includes a housing defining an inlet and an outlet positioned inline along a gas flow axis. A contoured metering plug is fixed within the housing and a diverging sleeve is movably positioned within the housing downstream of the contoured metering plug. An actuator is positioned offline from the gas flow axis and is configured to move the diverging sleeve within the housing relative to the contoured metering plug fixed therein to vary a gas metering area defined between the contoured metering plug and the diverging sleeve. The actuator may be hydraulic, fueldraulic, pneumatic, or electric, and may drive the diverging sleeve discretely to an open or a closed position, or to a variable position between the open and closed position when a position senor is included to meter the flow therethrough.

Abstract: An inline variable sonic valve is provided that includes a housing defining an inlet and an outlet positioned inline along a gas flow axis. A contoured metering plug is fixed within the housing and a diverging sleeve is movably positioned within the housing downstream of the contoured metering plug. An actuator is positioned offline from the gas flow axis and is configured to move the diverging sleeve within the housing relative to the contoured metering plug fixed therein to vary a gas metering area defined between the contoured metering plug and the diverging sleeve. The actuator may be hydraulic, fueldraulic, pneumatic, or electric, and may drive the diverging sleeve discretely to an open or a closed position, or to a variable position between the open and closed position when a position senor is included to meter the flow therethrough.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a gas mixer that includes a convergent-divergent nozzle comprising a convergent portion and a divergent portion and defining a first gas flow path, an air housing comprising an air inlet configured to supply air to the first gas flow path upstream of the convergent-divergent nozzle, a gas housing defining a second gas flow path and including a first gas inlet configured to receive a secondary gas and allow the secondary gas into a second gas flow path, and a gas nozzle positioned parallel to and centrally within the first gas flow path in a convergent portion of the convergent-divergent nozzle, the gas nozzle configured to supply the secondary gas to the first gas flow path upstream of the divergent portion.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, an actuator apparatus includes an output member configured to actuate between a first positional configuration and a second positional configuration, a source fluid reservoir, a fluid velocity resistor configured to provide a predetermined resistance to fluid flow, a fluid velocity fuse configured to flow fluid flows having a first predetermined range of fluid velocities and to block fluid flows having second predetermined range of fluid velocities, and a fluid actuator assembly configured to urge fluid flow from the source fluid reservoir through the fluid velocity resistor and the fluid velocity fuse based on actuation of the output member.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a rotary contactless potentiometer device, which includes one or more sensors, such as a Hall Effect sensor. The sensors are mounted on one or more substrates, such as a printed circuit board (PCB). In examples, each sensor channel is electrically isolated on the substrate. The sensors are arranged within range of a magnetic field, such as from a magnet rotatable about a shaft. The potentiometer device is housed in a frame to reduce stray magnetic interference.

Abstract: A pre-chamber spark plug that includes a shell, and an end cap attached to the shell. Additionally, the pre-chamber spark plug includes an insulator disposed within the shell. In a particular embodiment, a center electrode has a first portion surrounded by the insulator, and a second portion that extends from the insulator into a pre-chamber. The pre-chamber defined by the shell and end cap. In a further embodiment, a ground electrode is attached to the shell. In particular embodiments, the ground electrode is tubular in shape and includes an inner spark surface ring spaced in surrounding relation to the center electrode to create a spark gap, an outer ring attached to the shell, and a plurality of rounded spokes connecting the inner and outer rings. In a particular embodiment, the ground and center electrodes accommodate attachment of precious metal alloys to increase electrode surface life.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, an actuator that includes a worm drive assembly having a worm shaft, and a worm wheel configured as a ring having a radially outer perimeter comprising a first collection of gear teeth extending radially outward from the radially outer perimeter and at least partly engaged with the worm shaft, and a coaxial radially inner perimeter comprising a second collection of gear teeth extending radially inward from the inner perimeter, and an epicyclic gear assembly having a sun gear and a planet gear engaged with the sun gear and the second collection of gear teeth.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a position sensor system that includes a fluid effector that includes a housing having an inner surface defining a cavity, and a moveable body having a first face and a second face opposite the first face and configured to contact the inner surface and subdivide the cavity to define a first chamber and a second chamber, an acoustic transmitter system configured to emit a first emitted waveform toward the first face, and emit a second emitted waveform toward the second face, and an acoustic receiver system configured to detect a first reflected waveform based on a first reflection of the first emitted waveform based on the moveable body, and detect a second reflected waveform based on a second reflection of the second emitted waveform based on the moveable body.

Abstract: A fuel nozzle metering valve that includes a spool having an inlet port and an outlet flow port, and a retainer assembled to one end of the spool. A valve liner houses a portion of the spool. The spool is configured to move back and forth within the valve liner. The metering valve is biased in a closed position in which the outlet flow port is disposed entirely within the valve liner. The valve is opened when the spool slides within the valve liner such that some portion of the outlet flow port extends beyond an end of the valve liner. The retainer has a stepped portion configured to abut an end of the retainer at a fuel flow pressure below the expected maximum fuel flow pressure to be used in the fuel nozzle metering valve.

Abstract: A passive flow splitting system for use in a turbine engine control system to provide split fuel flow to two fuel manifolds to supply primary and secondary fuel injectors for the particular combustion zones thereof utilizing intentionally different split ratios dependent on ascending or descending combustion fuel flow is provided. The system includes a passive fuel divider valve (FDV) that includes a primary piston and a secondary piston. The primary piston is moveable independently from the secondary piston during a portion of its stroke, and is hydro-locked to the secondary piston during another portion of its stroke. An ecology valve is also provided to purge the fuel from the primary and/or secondary manifolds during different modes of operation. A transfer valve is included to control the position of ecology piston of the ecology valve.

Abstract: A flame arrestor screw for a solenoid operated gas admission valve. The flame arrestor screw may include a screw body having a first end and an open end. The flame arrestor screw may include a gas passage extending from the open end along a longitudinal axis of the screw body and terminating at a terminal end within the screw body. A through hole may extend through the screw body transverse to the gas passage and in fluid communication with the gas passage.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a system designed to compensate for flow disturbances when changing a flow rate in the system. The system includes a flow source device having an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is configured to receive fluid at a first pressure, and the outlet is configured to output the fluid at a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure. The system also includes a fluid control device having an inlet port and a drain port. The inlet port of the fluid control device is configured to receive flow from the outlet of the flow source device. Further, the system includes a constant flow regulator configured to provide a leakage flow to a drain output. The constant flow regulator is configured to decrease the leakage flow in response to the drain port of the fluid control device.