Patents Examined by Christopher K. Montgomery
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Patent number: 5806226Abstract: Bolt assembly for use in a firearm for firing electrically activated ammunition.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 1996Date of Patent: September 15, 1998Assignee: Remington Arms Company, Inc.Inventors: Vincent B. Norton, James W. Ronkainen
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Patent number: 5804812Abstract: A multi-node Lambert Guidance System that controls missile velocity along a missile flight path through adjustment of missile attitude during guidance of the missile through an intercept point and one or more way points. The system utilizes a linear Lambert solution in that it is derived from a plurality of Lambert solutions each corresponding to a particular node along the prelaunch flight path solution and each including corresponding time varying weights on the accuracy at several flight path nodes. The present invention allows direct translation of guidance velocity corrections into vehicle attitude adjustment commands, and thereby avoids additional computation required in prior predictive integration guidance approaches.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 1996Date of Patent: September 8, 1998Assignee: McDonnell Douglas CorporationInventor: Dallas C. Wicke
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Patent number: 5799433Abstract: A mechanism for determining the presence of a round of ammunition within a firearm by measuring the resistance across the round upon passing a test current through electrodes positioned to contact ammunition, and optionally means for determining the viability of the ammunition.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 1996Date of Patent: September 1, 1998Assignee: Remington Arms Company, Inc.Inventors: Dale R. Danner, David S. Wolterman
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Patent number: 5799434Abstract: A firearm conversion system for firearms having a pivoted hammer. The conversion system utilizes a plurality of different mode determinating cams which may be alternately mounted upon a shaft, the shaft also supporting the pivoted hammer. The cams each provide a selection among firing modes including safe, fire, single-action and double-action.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 1997Date of Patent: September 1, 1998Assignee: Heckler and KochInventors: Hubert Krieger, Norbert Fluhr
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Patent number: 5801322Abstract: The invention relates to an exercise mine system for training in mine detection. The invention including a passive oscillating circuit tuned to a certain frequency. This circuit being designed to be detected by another active oscillating circuit carried by an individual or vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1996Date of Patent: September 1, 1998Assignee: Giat IndustriesInventors: Loic Laine, Philippe Arnaud
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Patent number: 5797685Abstract: A device for rotatably supporting a gear shift tube within a tubular steering column of an automotive vehicle. The device comprises a support of integral, one-piece construction made of an elastomeric, resinous plastic material disposed within a cup rigidly secured in the lower end of the steering column. The support comprises an open-ended bearing sleeve co-axial with the cup having an end portion extending through an opening in the bottom wall of the cup. The sleeve has angularly spaced abutments inside the cup abutting the inner surface of the bottom wall of the cup around the opening. The sleeve also has angularly spaced tangs outside the cup extending radially outwardly and abutting the outer surface of the bottom wall of the cup around the opening. The abutments and the tangs cooperate in locking the bearing sleeve axially within the cup. The bearing sleeve is preferably made of urethane reinforced with glass fibers.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 1996Date of Patent: August 25, 1998Assignee: Chrysler CorporationInventors: Mirjana Jurik, Thomas Dziegielewski, John Perri, Thomas Grzybowski
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Patent number: 5798475Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor fuse device (23) having a fuse element (20) for an igniter device, comprises the steps of providing a semiconductor substrate (12), forming an insulator layer (14) on the semiconductor substrate, forming a single active layer (16) on the insulator layer, having a predetermined depth (18) of greater than 4 microns and patterning and etching the active layer to form the fuse element (20). Preferably, the forming a single active layer step includes the step of atomic bonding an active layer to the insulator layer.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1996Date of Patent: August 25, 1998Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Jean-Michel Reynes, Jean-Francois Allier, Jean Caillaba
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Patent number: 5796029Abstract: A proximity fuse/time fuse, in which the active optical distance sensor switches over to time delay in the case of disturbances occurring at a short distance before meeting the target, such as detonation flash, fog, explosive charge vapor or fireball. The fuse presets the data for the necessary time delay itself from the data of the preceding distance measurements. One exemplary embodiment is described and shown schematically.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 1995Date of Patent: August 18, 1998Assignee: Daimler-Benz Aerospace AGInventors: Manfred Held, Horst Kaltschmidt
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Patent number: 5793323Abstract: A broadband gigahertz frequency range radio receiver useful in electronic warfare and other applications for incoming signal detection and identification purposes. The receiver is based on Fourier transform examination of incoming signal characteristics and provides real time accomplishment of these tasks by way of using a simplified one-bit digital representation of the incoming signals and a resulting reduction of the computational load associated with the Fourier transform operation. The receiver precedes the Fourier transform operation with signal processing which may include, for example, a limiting amplifier and two bandpass filters. Two incoming signal accommodation is provided, a characteristic which is particularly improved over the characteristics of popular presently used receivers in this field.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 1996Date of Patent: August 11, 1998Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air ForceInventor: James B. Y. Tsui
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Patent number: 5788178Abstract: A small caliber laser-guided bullet having a self-contained guidance system is disclosed including on-board laser sensors and navigational circuits capable of detecting a laser target signature, determining the deviation of the bullet from an optimum projectory along which the bullet would impact a hostile target, and generating an electrical signal to piezo electric steering control surfaces to effect a change in the course of the bullet. The guided bullet utilizes a plurality of symmetrically-arranged laser sensor elements which are positioned about a longitudinal axis of the bullet. The laser sensor elements function to transmit optical radiation from the laser target beam to photo detector elements housed within the bullet. The electrical signals from the photo detector elements are then amplified and processed by semiconductor logic circuits to produce the functions required by the steering control surfaces to translate the bullet to the optimum trajectory.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 1997Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Inventor: Rolin F. Barrett, Jr.
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Patent number: 5788179Abstract: An ignition delay timing system, and corresponding method, for adjusting the position of an in-flight missile during its boost phase along its flight path according to a pre-launch flight path solution. The ignition delay system of the present invention is applied by navigating missile position between burnout of a given booster stage and ignition of a subsequent booster stage, and modifying ignition time of the subsequent boost stage so that the missile position along its flight path follows a pre-launch solution after all booster stages are burned. Nominal missile coast phases, which occur between burnout of one booster stage and ignition of subsequent booster stage are either increased or decreased for earlier or later booster stage ignitions to maintain the missile position along its flight path in accordance with the pre-launch solution.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 1996Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Assignee: McDonnell Douglas CorporationInventor: Dallas C. Wicke
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Patent number: 5787785Abstract: In this more cost-effective, less elaborate method, the disintegration time is calculated from a predetermined muzzle velocity and a distance to the target and is transmitted to a receiver coil prior to firing. The receiver coil is connected via a comparator circuit (7) and a decoder (8) with a shift register (9), whose output is connected to a first comparator (6), so that the disintegration time is present on the outputs of the latter. A first counter (1), which is connected with a clock generator (2) and a programmable counter (3), is unblocked or blocked by the start-stop pulses, supplied via the receiver coil, of a muzzle velocity measuring device. The programmable counter (3) forms a clock signal from the number of the clock pulses, added in the first counter (1) during the unblocked time, and of the clock generator frequency, whose frequency is equal to the muzzle velocity and is supplied via a is binary circuit (4) to a second counter (5).Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 1996Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Assignee: Oerlikon Contraves Pyrotec AGInventors: Klaus Muenzel, Markus Engler
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Patent number: 5789696Abstract: A method for propelling a projectile by applying a high power pulse of elrical current to a metal fuel element (of Al, Al-Li, or Al-Mg) causing the element to explode dispersing molten metal fuel into water with which it reacts to rapidly generate hydrogen gas at high pressure; the hydrogen gas is used to push the projectile. After the peak current is reached, an inductive electrical energy source drives the electrical current into the molten metal fuel/water mixture thus driving the reaction to completion.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 1997Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventors: Woodrow W. Lee, Richard D. Ford
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Patent number: 5787628Abstract: A less than lethal chemical apparatus that can be fitted to conventional handguns and rifles without requiring major modification of the weapons and yet fits within the profile of the weapons framework. The invention features a chassis containing a chemical module that can house MACE or other incapacitating chemical agents such as tear gas that can be mounted in various positions, depending on the weapon selected. For a handgun, the chassis mounts on the front face of the muzzle. The weapons factory installed hand grips are replaced by modified hand grips that contain electronic controls, water proof activation switches, and a power source. The hand grips are wired to the chassis via a flexible internal circuits. The apparatus can also be activated at a distance from the firearm using an infrared activation control.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 1995Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Inventor: James W. Teetzel
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Patent number: 5785275Abstract: A missile weapons system with a homing head optical system and an alignment processor, in which the visual field of the homing head is adjusted to the size of the target by handing over the target marking frame size to the homing head, which is equipped with a zoom lens, and the effect of parallax on the correlation is eliminated.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 1996Date of Patent: July 28, 1998Assignee: Daimler-Benz Aerospace AGInventor: Manfred Hiebl
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Patent number: 5782429Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving aim point accuracy in a programmable flight control missile includes a communication system for receiving at least one frame of imagery in a vision system mounted in a missile, predicting a subsequent frame content based on the content of the previous frame as a function of missile path height, missile velocity, and frame rate, and creating a residual image by determining the difference between a predicted subsequent frame content and actually received frame content. In the preferred embodiment, the residual image can be transferred at a high bit rate through a communication system into a controller at which location correction data can be generated and delivered to the communication system to the missile in flight. Preferably, the predicted subsequent video frame and the sensed subsequent frame content are centrally aligned before creating a residual image.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 1996Date of Patent: July 21, 1998Assignee: Hughes Electronics CorporationInventor: Donald C. Mead
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Patent number: 5778590Abstract: A protective cover for a long-barreled firearm having a stock with opposed sides. The cover includes a thin, vinyl sheet bearing a camouflage design and having a shape corresponding to that of one side of the stock. A backing of light-tack, adhesive material is preferably applied to the undersurface of the vinyl sheet to permit such to be selectively positioned on the stock.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 1996Date of Patent: July 14, 1998Inventors: David Preston Browning, Edward Wiley Martin
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Patent number: 5773745Abstract: Apparatus and method for cutting and dispensing of adversarial interaction countermeasures, as for example chaff dipole elements for the self-protection of aerial vehicles against radar-guided missiles, providing substantially instantaneous in-flight cutting and dispensing of chaff dipole elements into the airstream along the flight path of aircraft, helicopters, and other aerial vehicles. The device comprises a drive motor assembly having a flywheel providing a motor inertia enabling the motor to maintain a substantially constant rotational speed when a load is applied for cutting of the material to be dispensed. Countermeasure articles that may be advantageously be cut and dispensed into an adversarial interaction area by the means and method of the invention include dipole elements which are interactive with radiation of varying character, e.g., infrared, microwave, ultraviolet, millimeter wave, etc., as well as less-than-lethal (LTL) adversarial interaction countermeasures.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 1996Date of Patent: June 30, 1998Assignee: Alliant Defense Electronic Systems, Inc.Inventor: Marcel Widmer
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Patent number: 5770814Abstract: A firing rate regulating mechanism for an automatic firearm is provided. The firearm, typically, operates according to the closed bolt principle in which a moving bolt carrier carries a bolt that locks each cartridge in the chamber prior to firing. A moving firing pin and a hammer are provided to strike the cartridge's primer subsequent to locking of the bolt. A time delay unit is provided and is movable between a compressed position and an expanded position. Movement to the compressed position occurs at a first, relatively rapid rate while movement to the expanded position occurs at a second slower rate. A linkage is provided that compresses the time delay unit as the bolt carrier moves routinely and the hammer is retained against forward movement to strike the firing pin until the time delay unit has moved back into an expanded position. According to one embodiment, the time delay unit can be interconnected with an automatic sear that normally engages the hammer.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 1996Date of Patent: June 23, 1998Assignee: Defense Technologies LimitedInventor: George D. Ealovega
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Patent number: 5767803Abstract: A radar apparatus includes a radar unit which radiates a radar beam to a target in a forward direction of a vehicle and receives a reflection beam from the target to detect a target vehicle based on the received reflection beam. A scanning control unit moves a beam radiation axis of the radar unit across the target from left to right or vice versa in response to a scanning angle signal. A lane discriminating unit, having an input coupled to the radar unit and an output coupled to the scanning control unit, detects whether a path of the target vehicle is in a lane of the vehicle based on the received reflection beam.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 1996Date of Patent: June 16, 1998Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yukinori Yamada