Patents by Inventor Amy Pietrzak
Amy Pietrzak has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 9207051Abstract: An apparatus for deploying stowed control surfaces of a projectile is disclosed. The apparatus for deploying stowed control surfaces of a projectile includes a first and second hot gas generators, a first and second gas chambers, a piston wedge, a piston and a barrel. Initially, the first hot gas generator discharges a surge of hot gas into the first gas chamber. In response to the surge of hot gas being discharged into the first gas generator, the piston wedge displaces at least one of the control surfaces to break an environmental seal covering the projectile. After a predetermined amount of time has lapsed, the second hot gas generator discharges a surge of hot gas into the second gas chamber. The surge of hot gas displaces the piston and barrel for deploying the control surfaces completely.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2015Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventors: Kenneth D. Cleveland, Amy Pietrzak, Adam G. Butland, James H. Steenson, Jr., David J. Schorr, Joseph Borysthen-Tkacz
-
Publication number: 20150276359Abstract: An apparatus for deploying stowed control surfaces of a projectile is disclosed. The apparatus for deploying stowed control surfaces of a projectile includes a first and second hot gas generators, a first and second gas chambers, a piston wedge, a piston and a barrel. Initially, the first hot gas generator discharges a surge of hot gas into the first gas chamber. In response to the surge of hot gas being discharged into the first gas generator, the piston wedge displaces at least one of the control surfaces to break an environmental seal covering the projectile. After a predetermined amount of time has lapsed, the second hot gas generator discharges a surge of hot gas into the second gas chamber. The surge of hot gas displaces the piston and barrel for deploying the control surfaces completely.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2015Publication date: October 1, 2015Inventors: Kenneth D. Cleveland, Amy Pietrzak, Adam G. Butland, James H. Steenson, JR., David J. Schorr, Joseph Borysthen-Tkacz
-
Patent number: 9086259Abstract: An apparatus for deploying stowed control surfaces of a projectile is disclosed. The apparatus for deploying stowed control surfaces of a projectile includes a first and second hot gas generators, a first and second gas chambers, a piston wedge, a piston and a barrel. Initially, the first hot gas generator discharges a surge of hot gas into the first gas chamber. In response to the surge of hot gas being discharged into the first gas generator, the piston wedge displaces at least one of the control surfaces to break an environmental seal covering the projectile. After a predetermined amount of time has lapsed, the second hot gas generator discharges a surge of hot gas into the second gas chamber. The surge of hot gas displaces the piston and barrel for deploying the control surfaces completely.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2012Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventors: Kenneth Cleveland, Amy Pietrzak, Adam Butland, James H. Steenson, Jr., David Schorr, Joseph Borysthen-Tkacz
-
Patent number: 8754352Abstract: A wing deploy initiator for deploying guidance wings of a rocket or missile, such as the APKWS, provides enhanced wing deploy performance with reduced complexity, cost, and likelihood of failure. The invention includes a cam which is driven between the stowed guidance wings by at least one compression spring, thereby forcing the guidance wings outward through slots in the fuselage of the rocket or missile. Oblique flat sides of the cam can push against beveled edges on the wings. The cam can be attached to spring mandrels, and the cam and mandrels can pass through a retaining plate as the springs decompress. Embodiments can exert sufficient push force to enable the wings to break through frangible slot covers. An embodiment applicable to the APKWS includes only 13 parts, and can exert up to 10 lb push force on each wing after 0.3 inches of wing travel.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2011Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventors: Amy Pietrzak, Michael J. Krueger
-
Patent number: 8686329Abstract: A compact, purely mechanical wing deployment assisting mechanism uses torsion springs and lever arms to apply a deploying force to a guidance wing during its initial deployment through a wing slot in a rocket or missile, thereby assisting the wing to burst through a cover seal protecting the wing slot. The wings are then fully deployed by centrifugal force. Various embodiments include two “extreme duty” springs and two lever arms per wing, working in parallel. Embodiments provide a total of at least 24 pounds of force per wing at the end of a spring travel of 0.30 inches. In some embodiments, the entire mechanism weighs less than 0.5 pounds and/or occupies less than 2.5 cubic inches per wing. In embodiments, an assembled group, including two springs and two lever arms, is located between each pair of wings, whereby each assembled group applies one lever arm to each adjoining wing.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2011Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventors: William D. Barry, Michael J. Krueger, Amy Pietrzak
-
Publication number: 20140060370Abstract: An apparatus for deploying stowed control surfaces of a projectile is disclosed. The apparatus for deploying stowed control surfaces of a projectile includes a first and second hot gas generators, a first and second gas chambers, a piston wedge, a piston and a barrel. Initially, the first hot gas generator discharges a surge of hot gas into the first gas chamber. In response to the surge of hot gas being discharged into the first gas generator, the piston wedge displaces at least one of the control surfaces to break an environmental seal covering the projectile. After a predetermined amount of time has lapsed, the second hot gas generator discharges a surge of hot gas into the second gas chamber. The surge of hot gas displaces the piston and barrel for deploying the control surfaces completely.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2012Publication date: March 6, 2014Inventors: Kenneth Cleveland, Amy Pietrzak, Adam Butland, James H. Steenson, JR., David Schorr, Joseph Borysthen-Tkacz
-
Publication number: 20120119014Abstract: A compact, purely mechanical wing deployment assisting mechanism uses torsion springs and lever arms to apply a deploying force to a guidance wing during its initial deployment through a wing slot in a rocket or missile, thereby assisting the wing to burst through a cover seal protecting the wing slot. The wings are then fully deployed by centrifugal force. Various embodiments include two “extreme duty” springs and two lever arms per wing, working in parallel. Embodiments provide a total of at least 24 pounds of force per wing at the end of a spring travel of 0.30 inches. In some embodiments, the entire mechanism weighs less than 0.5 pounds and/or occupies less than 2.5 cubic inches per wing. In embodiments, an assembled group, including two springs and two lever arms, is located between each pair of wings, whereby each assembled group applies one lever arm to each adjoining wing.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2011Publication date: May 17, 2012Inventors: William D. Barry, Michael J. Krueger, Amy Pietrzak
-
Publication number: 20120074256Abstract: A wing deploy initiator for deploying guidance wings of a rocket or missile, such as the APKWS, provides enhanced wing deploy performance with reduced complexity, cost, and likelihood of failure. The invention includes a cam which is driven between the stowed guidance wings by at least one compression spring, thereby forcing the guidance wings outward through slots in the fuselage of the rocket or missile. Oblique flat sides of the cam can push against beveled edges on the wings. The cam can be attached to spring mandrels, and the cam and mandrels can pass through a retaining plate as the springs decompress. Embodiments can exert sufficient push force to enable the wings to break through frangible slot covers. An embodiment applicable to the APKWS includes only 13 parts, and can exert up to 10 lb push force on each wing after 0.3 inches of wing travel.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Inventors: Amy Pietrzak, Michael J. Krueger
-
Patent number: 6792862Abstract: An apparatus for delivering a printing plate to an external drum platesetter includes: a plate traversing table for displacing a printing plate into a staging position; and a plate angling table, nested within the plate traversing table, for rotating the printing plate between the staging position and a loading position. The plate traversing table includes: a first shaft; a second driven shaft including a plurality of nip rollers; a plurality of pulleys mounted to the first and second shafts; a plurality of rotatable belts, extending between corresponding sets of the pulleys on the first and second shafts; and a drive system for rotating the driven shaft.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2003Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignee: Agfa CorporationInventors: Amy Pietrzak, Angelo Diramio, Mike O'Rourke
-
Patent number: 6779450Abstract: A thin wall external drum for an external drum imaging system includes a cylindrical portion having a hollow tube and a pair of end plates mounted to opposing sides of the hollow tube, wherein the hollow tube has the wall thickness less than or equal to about 1.5 percent of the outside diameter of the external drum.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2003Date of Patent: August 24, 2004Assignee: Agfa CorporationInventors: Michael G. Vieira, Amy Pietrzak