Patents by Inventor Dennis L. Kurschner

Dennis L. Kurschner 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).

  • Publication number: 20090205415
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a device for determining the roll orientation of a body with respect to a local fixed coordinate system or a predetermined reference vector. The device uses a measurement of an external magnetic field, such as the Earth's magnetic field, to determine a roll orientation reference with respect to the field or an uncompensated roll orientation. The uncompensated roll orientation is then adjusted according to a bias angle, such as an angular difference between the external magnetic field and a local fixed coordinate system, to determine the roll orientation of the device with respect to the local fixed coordinate system or a compensated roll angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: Lyle H. Johnson, Dennis L. Kurschner
  • Patent number: 7566027
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a device for determining the roll orientation of a body with respect to a local fixed coordinate system or a predetermined reference vector. The device uses a measurement of an external magnetic field, such as the Earth's magnetic field, to determine a roll orientation reference with respect to the field or an uncompensated roll orientation. The uncompensated roll orientation is then adjusted according to a bias angle, such as an angular difference between the external magnetic field and a local fixed coordinate system, to determine the roll orientation of the device with respect to the local fixed coordinate system or a compensated roll angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: Lyle H. Johnson, Dennis L. Kurschner
  • Patent number: 7334523
    Abstract: A fuze may include a detonator, a firing capacitor and a control circuit. The firing capacitor may be charged to a nominal operational voltage, wherein when the firing capacitor is discharged across the detonator, an external explosive charge may be detonated. The firing capacitor may also be charged to a sterilization voltage, wherein when the firing capacitor is discharged across the detonator, the detonator may be destroyed without causing detonation of an external explosive charge. When the detonator is destroyed, the sterilized fuze is unable to trigger detonation of an external explosive charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Lucas, Dennis L. Kurschner
  • Patent number: 5497704
    Abstract: A multifunctional magnetic fuze is disclosed. The sensor includes an apparatus and method for counting each rotation of a projectile after firing from a weapon. A signal is generated which indicates the rotations of the projectile and a counter counts the turns so that the projectile may detonate at a predetermined nominal number of turns. The turns count may also be used to calculate spin rate and muzzle velocity so that the nominal turns count may be adjusted based on actual velocity. The fuze also may include a timer for counting a time to burst of a projectile. The turns count and/or the times count may be utilized to provide accurate detonation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis L. Kurschner, David P. Erdmann, Scott D. Crist
  • Patent number: 5271327
    Abstract: An electro-mechanical base element fuze is disclosed wherein mechanical innovations along with the latest in electronic sensing, signal processing and miniaturization provide safety and simplicity as well as improving performance, reliability and reducing costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1993
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory F. Filo, Dennis L. Kurschner, Paul L. Weber
  • Patent number: 5265539
    Abstract: A dipole magnet is placed in a sabot of an explosive projectile. The magnet is arranged and configured within the interior surface of the sabot--such that when the sabot is placed over the casing of the projectile, the majority of the magnetic flux tends to take a path through the projectile casing and between two sensing coils located within the fuze and within the projectile. The first sensing coil forms a larger circle which encompasses the aft end or outer diameter of the projectile which is made up of ferrous materials. The second sensing coil forms a smaller concentric circle (relative to the first sensing coil) and is situated inside the inner diameter of the after end of the projectile, thus encompassing no ferrous metal. The majority of the flux from the magnet enters the ferrous projectile casing, travels through the casing, and exits primarily between the two coils on a continuous path back to the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis L. Kurschner, Gregory F. Filo
  • Patent number: 5202532
    Abstract: An autonomous detonation device comprising an acoustic sensor, a logic circuit, and an output circuit. The invention is capable of discriminating the acoustic signal of an explosion of a primary charge such that it will detonate an explosive shortly thereafter. The invention further incorporates a delay system for safety purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: Steven A. Haglund, Dennis L. Kurschner, Kenneth W. Paulson
  • Patent number: 5076511
    Abstract: A weapon deliver/target interceptor (DISK) comprising a spinning right circular cylinder maneuvered by thrusters located about the periphery of the cylinder's circumference. The cylinder is guided by means of a forward looking sensor mounted on the front face of the cylinder and a guidance system which senses the rotational acceleration and precessional acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1991
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: Gunter Stein, Dennis L. Kurschner, Jeffrey M. Burrows
  • Patent number: 4580497
    Abstract: In combination: an air core coil; a passive detector connected to said coil for giving a first output in response to change in the ambient magnetic field due to movement of a magnetic body near the coil; an active detector connected to the same coil and operable to create a local magnetic field about the coil and to give a second output in response to changes in the local field due to the movement of the body; apparatus energizing the active detector in response to the output of the passive detector; and apparatus giving a further output in response to simultaneous outputs from both the detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1986
    Assignee: Honeywell, Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Erdmann, Dennis L. Kurschner, John C. Timmerman
  • Patent number: 4468763
    Abstract: In combination: a geophone having a resonant frequency in the pressure wave band and a response that decreases with frequency below the resonant frequency; an amplifier connected to the geophone and having a gain which is substantially constant for frequencies above the resonant frequency, and which varies inversely with frequency for frequencies below the resonant frequency; a band-pass filter connected to the amplifier; a single channel rectifier connected to the band-pass filter; apparatus connected to the rectifier for obtaining short term and long term averages of the rectifier output; and apparatus including a comparator connectied to the last named apparatus for giving an output when the short term average exceeds the long term average by more than a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1984
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: Russell D. Braunling, Dennis L. Kurschner
  • Patent number: 4206451
    Abstract: A system for detecting intrusions into a protected area by personnel, vehicles, or other objects, including a sensor capable of detecting magnetic and/or pressure disturbances and a signal processing means for generating an alarm signal when an unwanted intrusion occurs. The signal processing apparatus includes a first band-pass filter for selecting the portion of the signal from the sensor which is within a first frequency range, and a second band-pass filter for selecting a portion of the signal within a second frequency range. Logic circuitry is provided to process the two analog signals from the two band-pass filters using amplitude, signal energy and zero-crossing characteristics of the two signals in a cross-channel relationship to eliminate false alarms which might be caused by disturbances such as lightning, thunder, or wind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1975
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1980
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis L. Kurschner
  • Patent number: 4052595
    Abstract: A vehicle monitoring system for detecting the passage of vehicles past a predetermined point along a road. Using a pair of magnetic sensors positioned in a spaced relationship, together with appropriate logic circuitry, the apparatus according to the present invention is able to detect the number of and the direction of vehicles traveling along said road. Counting means are also provided to give an indication of the number of vehicles passing in each of the two directions during any selected period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1977
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Erdmann, Dennis L. Kurschner
  • Patent number: 3961320
    Abstract: A system for sensing seismic and magnetic disturbances, comprising a segmented transducer, such as a line sensor, and electronic circuitry for processing the signals developed by the segmented transducer. The segmented transducer comprises sets of windings wrapped around a ferromagnetic core. Currents are induced in the transducer windings by magnetic field disturbances caused by external ferrous objects. Electronic signal processing circuitry associated with the transducer extracts information from the induced seismic and magnetic signals and activates an alarm if the information meets predetermined criteria. Important criteria used include whether the seismic signals are impulsive, whether the magnetic or stress disturbances are localized, and whether specific thresholds of magnetic and stress activity are reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1976
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Erdmann, Dennis L. Kurschner