Patents by Inventor Charles H. Robinson

Charles H. Robinson 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: 8640620
    Abstract: A safety and arming device may include a substrate and a frame fixed to the substrate. The frame may include a travel slot, a head socket, first and second gas expansion chambers having respective first and second nozzles, and first and second safety catch surfaces disposed adjacent to the respective first and second nozzles. A slider may be translatably disposed in the travel slot in the frame. The slider may include a latching head operable to latch in the head socket in an armed position of the device, a storage cavity for storing an explosive charge, first and second cantilevered arms disposed axially apart from each other and angled outwardly from the slider, and first and second deactivation cavities disposed adjacent to the respective first and second cantilevered arms. A spring may bias the slider away from the head socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Thinh Q. Hoang, Charles H. Robinson, Robert H. Wood, Ryan R. Knight, Oliver M. Barham
  • Patent number: 8448574
    Abstract: An ultra-miniature, electro-mechanical, MEMS type safe and arming (S&A) device for medium- or large-artillery rounds, including, three sequenced S&A interlocks: a setback slider which provides a 1st interlock with respect to an arming slider which moves due to the round's spin; a stop and release mechanism that holds the arming slider until a release command signal is initiated by the fuze circuit, triggering a spot charge which generates an expanding gas wave that flexes the latch arm from contact with the safety catch, unlocking the 2nd interlock, thereby freeing the arming slider to continue its motion into an arming position, unlocking the 3rd interlock, and aligning the parts of the firetrain within the device, such that upon signal from the fuze circuit to an output charge, the device will ignite the acceptor charge within the round.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Charles H. Robinson, Robert H. Wood, Mark R. Gelak, Thinh Q. Hoang, Gabriel L. Smith
  • Patent number: 8276515
    Abstract: A ultra-miniature, electro-mechanical, MEMS type safe and arming (S&A) device for medium- or large-artillery rounds, including, three sequenced S&A interlocks: a setback slider, which is positioned partially within and partially extending from an arming slider, such that, upon firing acceleration, the setback slider will compress into a channel within the arming slider (unlocking the 1st interlock); freeing the arming slider to move toward its arming position under urging of the round's spin; a stop and release mechanism formed by a flexible latch arm which impacts upon a safety catch located within the frame in which the arming slider is mounted, such that the arming slider is stopped until a release command signal is initiated by the fuze circuit, triggering a spot charge which generates an expanding gas wave that flexes the latch arm from contact with the safety catch (unlocking the 2nd interlock), thereby freeing the arming slider to continue its motion into an arming position (unlocking the 3rd i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Charles H. Robinson, Robert H. Wood, Mark R. Gelak, Thinh Q. Hoang, Gabriel L. Smith
  • Patent number: 7849798
    Abstract: A fuze for a submunition comprises a fuze housing with a stabilizer ribbon for aerodynamic orientation, a fuze slider released by tension on the stabilizer ribbon, an air-powered electric generator extended into the airstream by the fuze slider and powered in flight by high-speed airflow, a MEMS safety and arming device, a fuze circuit board including an explosive fireset, and an electrically initiated firetrain. The fuze is fixed to and communicates explosively with the end of a grenade warhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Charles H. Robinson, Robert H. Wood, Mark R. Gelak, Thinh Q. Hoang
  • Patent number: 7316186
    Abstract: A fuze for a submunition comprises a fuze housing with a stabilizer ribbon for aerodynamic orientation, a fuze slider released by tension on the stabilizer ribbon, an air-powered electric generator extended into the airstream by the fuze slider and powered in flight by high-speed airflow, a MEMS safety and arming device, a fuze circuit board including an explosive fireset, and an electrically initiated firetrain. The fuze is fixed to and communicates explosively with the end of a grenade warhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Charles H. Robinson, Robert H. Wood, Mark R. Gelak, Thinh Q. Hoang
  • Patent number: 7069861
    Abstract: A microscale firetrain for a safe and arm device having a safe position and an armed position, the firetrain including an input explosive column having a longitudinal axis; a transfer charge having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends and movable from a safe position to an armed position; a receptor charge having a longitudinal axis that is non-collinear with and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the input explosive column; wherein, in the safe position, the transfer charge is remote from both the input explosive column and the receptor charge; and wherein, in the armed position, the input explosive column is adjacent the first end of the transfer charge to thereby initiate the transfer charge, the longitudinal axis of the input explosive column is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the transfer charge, the second end of the transfer charge is adjacent the receptor charge to thereby initiate the receptor charge and the longitudinal axis of the receptor charge is
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Charles H. Robinson, Robert H. Wood, Mark R. Gelak, David Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 7055437
    Abstract: A microscale firetrain for a safe and arm device having a safe position and an armed position, the firetrain including an input explosive column having a longitudinal axis; a transfer charge having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends and movable from a safe position to an armed position; a receptor charge having a longitudinal axis that is non-collinear with and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the input explosive column; wherein, in the safe position, the transfer charge is remote from both the input explosive column and the receptor charge; and wherein, in the armed position, the input explosive column is adjacent the first end of the transfer charge to thereby initiate the transfer charge, the longitudinal axis of the input explosive column is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the transfer charge, the second end of the transfer charge is adjacent the receptor charge to thereby initiate the receptor charge and the longitudinal axis of the receptor charge is
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Charles H. Robinson, Robert H. Wood, Mark R. Gelak, David Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 6964231
    Abstract: A MEMS type safety and arming device includes a substrate; a frame disposed on the substrate; a setback slider disposed in the frame, the setback slider moving linearly in response to a setback acceleration; an arming slider disposed in the frame, the arming slider moving linearly in an arming direction perpendicular to the direction of the setback acceleration and in response to spin; a setback lock lever disposed in the frame, the setback lock lever engaging the arming slider to prevent linear motion of the arming slider until the setback slider contacts and moves the setback lock lever; and a command lock rocker disposed in the frame, the command lock rocker engaging the arming slider to prevent full arming motion of the arming slider until after the command lock rocker is actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Charles H. Robinson, Robert H. Wood, Thinh Q. Hoang
  • Patent number: 6765160
    Abstract: The invention is a normally-open, momentary, non-latching, inertial thresholding switch 30, fabricated on a substrate 1 in a planar configuration, using no cylindrical tilt mass, with low mass 16 and small switch gap 36, 37, 38, 39 to allow fast switch action and rapid reset. Of ultra-miniature, rugged construction, its high mechanical frequency limits sensitivity to vibration inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secetary of the Army
    Inventor: Charles H. Robinson
  • Patent number: 6568329
    Abstract: A MEMS type safe and arm apparatus for a fuze includes a setback slider responsive to a first setback acceleration, the setback slider moving linearly in response to the first setback acceleration; a setforward slider responsive to a first setforward acceleration, the setback slider unlocking the setforward slider, the setforward slider moving linearly in response to the first setforward acceleration; a first rotor responsive to a second setback acceleration, the setforward slider unlocking the first rotor, the first rotor rotating in response to the second setback acceleration; a second rotor responsive to a second setforward acceleration, the first rotor unlocking the second rotor, the second rotor rotating in response to the second setforward acceleration; and an arming slider that moves linearly in response to the rotation of the second rotor to thereby arm the fuze.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Charles H. Robinson
  • Patent number: 6321654
    Abstract: A first embodiment of the invention comprises a miniature release and latch anchor assembly that can be fabricated in combination with other moving and fixed elements on a single substrate (3). Such a release and latch anchor assembly has many applications in MEMS-type devices, particularly devices whose moving elements react in response to predetermined inertial loading inputs externally imposed thereupon. This embodiment provides ways of imposing or enforcing sequential operations of moving parts in a MEMS-type device, a necessary operational requirement for safety and proper arming of projected munitions. A second embodiment of the invention is a variation of the first embodiment wherein a reinsertable-re-releasable latch anchor assembly mechanism has insertable anchor feet members (5) in cooperation with the linchpin member (7) whereby re-latching of the anchor assembly can occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Charles H. Robinson
  • Patent number: 6314887
    Abstract: Various ultra-miniature, monolithic inertial switching (G-switch) devices used in safety and arming (S&A) devices for projected munitions, which operate in accordance with a shuttle member (50), which effectuates current switching of around an ampere of current when subjected to a threshold inertial loading (for example, an impact or gun launch of a projection munition). The embodiments of the invention can be a passive threshold G-switch with or without switch enable and arming capability. The embodiments (100, 200) of the invention use either mechanical or electromechanical switch enable functioning and can optionally include a shuttle time-delay feature (54).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Charles H. Robinson
  • Patent number: 6167809
    Abstract: An ultra-miniature, monolithic, mechanical safety and arming (S&A) device for projected munitions operates in accordance with a double interlock feature. Acceleration of the projected munition moves a delay slider into a final position, causing an arming slider and a safety interlock slider (in a first embodiment) or a command slider (in a second embodiment) to become partially disengaged. In the first embodiment, a command received by the safety interlock slider then moves it out of the way of the arming slider, thereby permitting the arming slider to move into its armed position. In the second embodiment, a command received by the command slider then moves it out of the way of the arming slider, thereby permitting the arming slider, under spring force, to move into its armed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Charles H. Robinson, Robert Wood
  • Patent number: 6064013
    Abstract: A miniature, planar, inertially-damped, inertially-actuated delay slider uator is micromachined on a substrate and consists of a "slider", with zig-zag or stair-step-like patterns on the side edges, interacting with similar vertical-edged zig-zag patterns on "racks" which are positioned across a small gap on each side. The slider has been released from the substrate, and is captured vertically in its track by a non-interfering lattice or cover or other feature that bridges across from the top of one rack to the other. The racks are fixed to the substrate and the slider is forced axially down the "track" by an inertial load in the slider's axial direction. The slider is drawn along the track such that the "teeth" on the right edge of the slider engage with the teeth on the right rack. The slider is forced to move to the left as it slides down the faces on the right rack, until it is thrown clear of the right rack and goes across to engage similarly with the left rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Charles H. Robinson
  • Patent number: 5705767
    Abstract: A miniature, planar, inertially-damped, inertially-actuated delay slider uator is micromachined on a substrate and consists of a "slider", with zig-zag or stair-step-like patterns on the side edges, interacting with similar vertical-edged zig-zag patterns on "racks" which are positioned across a small gap on each side. The slider has been released from the substrate, and is captured vertically in its track by a non-interfering lattice or cover or other feature that bridges across from the top of one rack to the other. The racks are fixed to the substrate and the slider is forced axially down the "track" by an inertial load in the slider's axial direction. The slider is drawn along the track such that the "teeth" on the right edge of the slider engage with the teeth on the right rack. The slider is forced to move to the left as it slides down the faces on the right rack, until it is thrown clear of the right rack and goes across to engage similarly with the left rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Charles H. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4220343
    Abstract: An apparatus for carrying, stacking and transporting bowling balls. A housing of suitable size for holding a bowling ball incorporates interlocking members on the top and bottom surfaces thereof. A substantially square or rectangular member depends from the top surface of the housing, the member adapted to receive and be vertically interlocked with a mating member depending from the bottom surface of a like housing. Innerconnection of the mating members, one to the other, will permit vertical stacking of the housings or cases and prevent inadvertent vertical movement thereof. Each housing is equipped with an internally moveable cover to secure the bowling ball within the housing, the cover binding the ball between the interior walls of the housing and the covering member itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1980
    Inventor: Charles H. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4166530
    Abstract: An apparatus for carrying, stacking and transporting bowling balls. A housing of suitable size for holding a bowling ball incorporates interlocking members on the top and bottom surfaces thereof. A substantially square or rectangular member depends from the top surface of the housing, the member adapted to receive and be vertically interlocked with a mating member depending from the bottom surface of a like housing. Innerconnection of the mating members, one to the other, will permit vertical stacking of the housings or cases and prevent inadvertent vertical movement thereof. Each housing is equipped with an internally moveable cover to secure the bowling ball within the housing, the cover binding the ball between the interior walls of the housing and the covering member itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1979
    Inventor: Charles H. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4138108
    Abstract: A hand/wrist positioner or brace adapted for use by persons participating in sports, particularly bowling. It is made of flexible material to wrap around the hand and wrist in the manner of a wristband or more specifically a fingerless glove with securing means to hold it in position. It has a thumb hole to receive the thumb and ball of the thumb, its forward end extending to cover the palm and back of the hand. Provided in the front of the article, that is, on the palm side, there is a stiffening member to bridge between the palm and inner side of the wrist contoured to conform and extending into the palm of the hand. This stiffening member prevents forward flexing of the wrist. A second rigid stiffening member is provided in the back of the article to bridge between the back of the hand and wrist, this member having an outwardly bowed contour at the back of the wrist to restrain backward flexing of the wrist beyond the contoured position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1975
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1979
    Inventor: Charles H. Robinson