Abstract: An air-core transformer position sensor includes an excitation coil, an output coil, and a sensor coil. The excitation coil is adapted to be electrically excited with an excitation signal. The output coil is inductively coupled to the excitation coil upon electrical excitation of the excitation coil. The sensor coil is electrically shorted, is movable relative to the excitation coil and the output coil and, upon electrical excitation of the excitation coil, is inductively coupled to at least one of the excitation coil or the output coil.

Abstract: According to a method for forming a coating system on a turbine engine component substrate that comprises a nickel-based superalloy substrate having at least one refractory metal included therein, a nickel-based layer is formed on the substrate, the nickel-based layer comprising at least one active material selected from the group consisting of elemental silicon and a silicon compound. The at least one active material is then diffused into the substrate. An yttrium-modified platinum aluminide bond coating, or a MCrAlX bond coating, may be then formed over the active material-modified nickel-based layer.

Abstract: A method for forming a modified platinum aluminide coating on a turbine engine component surface includes the step of forming a platinum layer on the turbine engine component surface. A bath is then prepared, including a mixture of a primary alcohol and a tertiary alcohol, and an electrolyte including an yttrium salt. Then, yttrium from the yttrium salt is electrodeposited onto the platinum layer. The component is heated to diffuse the yttrium into the platinum layer to form a modified platinum layer. Aluminum is then deposited onto the modified platinum layer, and the component is heated to diffuse the aluminum into the modified platinum layer to form a modified platinum aluminide layer.

Abstract: A position sensing system uses a resonant transmission line having a moveable dielectric as a position sensor. The system includes circuitry that supplies an RF drive signal to the resonant transmission line, which reflects the drive signal. Based on a standing wave signal, which is generated from the drive signal and the reflected drive signal, the circuitry determines the frequency of the RF sensor drive signal relative to a resonant frequency of the resonant transmission line, and adjusts the RF sensor drive signal frequency to match a resonant frequency of the transmission line. The system additionally includes integral circuitry that senses the temperature of the resonant transmission line and supplies a temperature signal representative thereof. The circuitry determines the relative position of the moveable dielectric based on the adjusted RF sensor drive signal frequency, and supplies a temperature compensated position signal representative thereof.

Abstract: A position sensing system uses a resonant transmission line having a moveable dielectric as a position sensor. The system includes circuitry that supplies an RF drive signal to the resonant transmission line, which reflects the drive signal. Based on a standing wave signal, which is generated from the drive signal and the reflected drive signal, the circuitry determines the frequency of the RF sensor drive signal relative to a resonant frequency of the resonant transmission line, and adjusts the RF sensor drive signal frequency to match a resonant frequency of the transmission line. The system additionally includes integral circuitry that senses the temperature of the resonant transmission line and supplies a temperature signal representative thereof. The circuitry determines the relative position of the moveable dielectric based on the adjusted RF sensor drive signal frequency, and supplies a temperature compensated position signal representative thereof.

Abstract: A position sensing system uses a resonant transmission line having a moveable dielectric as a position sensor. The system includes circuitry that supplies a drive signal to the resonant transmission line, which reflects the drive signal. Based on a standing wave signal, which is generated from the drive signal and the reflected drive signal, the circuitry determines the frequency of the sensor drive signal relative to a resonant frequency of the resonant transmission line, and adjusts the sensor drive signal frequency to match a resonant frequency of the transmission line. The circuitry determines the relative position of the moveable dielectric based on the adjusted sensor drive signal frequency.

Abstract: An optical sensor system and method for determining the position, displacement and/or angle of a member (for example, a seal plate or valve gate) within a system (for example, a valve assembly in an aircraft turbine engine system or environmental control system). The system has, in one embodiment, a controller in communication with an encoder via a fiber optic line or similar light transmitter and the encoder further has an optically layered element. The optically layered element has at least one coating whose optical characteristics vary over the angles (or distance) of interest to provide feedback based on the position displacement and/or angle of the valve member. The system may communicate and/or be controlled by a computing system via a data communication network.

Abstract: An optical sensor system and method for determining the position, displacement and/or angle of a member (for example, a seal plate or valve gate) within a system (for example, a valve assembly in an aircraft turbine engine system or environmental control system). The system has, in one embodiment, a controller in communication with an encoder via a fiber optic line or similar light transmitter and the encoder further has an optically layered element. The optically layered element has at least one coating whose optical characteristics vary over the angles (or distance) of interest to provide feedback based on the position displacement and/or angle of the valve member. The system may communicate and/or be controlled by a computing system via a data communication network.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant sensor which utilizes an acoustic system for determining object range, extent, and direction. The system is composed of an ultrasonic transmitter formed from an array of air chamber resonator elements driven in relative phase to each other to produce a steered acoustic beam. Electrical excitation circuitry converts waveform data stored in memory elements to electrical signals to drive the transmitter. One or more ultrasonic receivers receives the acoustic waves reflected from objects, and a processor determines the range, extent and direction of the objects based on the received acoustic waves.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a fluid level is disclosed, which includes a coaxial sensor having a pair of conducting tubes positioned with respect to each other in spaced coaxial arrangement, a coaxial transmission line connected to the sensor, a means for injecting a standing wave into the coaxial sensor, a summer for summing the injected wave and a reflected wave connected to the sensor, a means for adjusting the frequency of the injected wave in response to the voltage and phase of the summed signal, and a processor for processing and displaying the frequency as a representation of the level of the fluid. A method for detecting the fluid level is also disclosed.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant sensor which utilizes an acoustic system for determining object range, extent, and direction. The system is composed of an ultrasonic transmitter formed from an array of air chamber resonator elements driven in relative phase to each other to produce a steered acoustic beam. Electrical excitation circuitry converts waveform data stored in memory elements to electrical signals to drive the transmitter. One or more ultrasonic receivers receives the acoustic waves reflected from objects, and a processor determines the range, extent and direction of the objects based on the received acoustic waves.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant sensor which utilizes an acoustic system for determining object range, extent, and direction. The system is composed of an ultrasonic transmitter formed from an array of air chamber resonator elements driven in relative phase to each other to produce a steered acoustic beam. Electrical excitation circuitry converts waveform data stored in memory elements to electrical signals to drive the transmitter. One or more ultrasonic receivers receives the acoustic waves reflected from objects, and a processor determines the range, extent and direction of the objects based on the received acoustic waves.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a fluid level is disclosed, which includes a coaxial sensor having a pair of conducting tubes positioned with respect to each other in spaced coaxial arrangement, a coaxial transmission line connected to the sensor, a means for injecting a standing wave into the coaxial sensor, a summer for summing the injected wave and a reflected wave connected to the sensor, a means for adjusting the frequency of the injected wave in response to the voltage and phase of the summed signal, and a processor for processing and displaying the frequency as a representation of the level of the fluid. A method for detecting the fluid level is also disclosed.

Abstract: A multi-axis magnetometer is provided having three magnetic field sensing circuits for sensing a magnetic field along the X, Y and Z axes. Each magnetic field sensing circuit includes an operational amplifier and a bridge chip having at least one electrical conductor. The operational amplifier is electrically connected to the at least one electrical conductor of the bridge chip for receiving a portion of a current flowing through the at least one electrical conductor. The operational amplifier provides an output voltage based on a magnitude of the portion of the current flowing through the at least one electrical conductor. The multi-axis magnetometer further includes a voltage regulator for providing an operating voltage.

Abstract: An improved fluid flow measuring device having more nearly linear response characteristics over a wide range of fluid flow rates measures the force exerted on a fluid flow sensing element (21, 37, 41, 47, 55, 61) located in the fluid flow. The effective area of the sensing element subjected to the fluid force decreases as the flow rate increases and increases as the flow rate decreases thereby compensating for the nonlinear relationship between fluid flow rate and the force exerted thereby. The sensing element may retract somewhat into a calm or minimal flow region (27, 35) in response to increased flow rate. The sensing element may include resilient vanes (45, 51, 52, 53, 57, 59) which bend thereby reducing their effective area in response to increased flow. The sensing element may include one or more flow passing apertures (43, 49) the size of which varies with flow rate.

Abstract: Blades for use in combusion turbine engines are formed from a single crystal aluminum garnet body--desirably a rare earth aluminum garnet body--having an epitaxial surface layer of a second aluminum garnet having a lattice constant larger than that of the body garnet so as to provide a compressive strain, to thereby strengthen the blade.

Abstract: A birefringent bias is provided to an optical sensor by the addition of one or more single birefringent elements where the total birefringence-length product remains within the accepted tolerances of current devices. The bias provided by two or more elements is such that where each element has a birefringence, a dB/dT and a coefficient of thermal expansion term, the elements are arranged in tandem so that the combined birefringence terms equal the required birefringence bias and the dB/dT and coefficient of thermal expansion terms effectively cancel.

Abstract: Blades for use in combusion turbine engine are formed from a single crystal garnet body--suitably an aluminum garnet, desirably a rare earth aluminum garnet--having an epitaxial surface layer of a second garnet having a lattice constant larger than that of the body garnet so as a compressive strain, to thereby strengthen the blade.

Abstract: Reinforcement fibers are formed from a single crystal garnet body--suitably an aluminum garnet, desirably a rare earth aluminum garnet--having an epitaxial surface layer of a second garnet having a lattice constant larger than that of the body garnet so as to provide a compressive strain, to thereby strengthen the fiber.

Abstract: A sensor for use in an optical temperature detector system having a birefringent element made of a single crystal metal oxide plate. A broad band light spectrum is transmitted through a first linear polarizing element to create a linearly polarized wave. The linearly polarized wave on passing through the single crystal metal oxide plate decomposes into first and second orthogonally polarized waves. Propagation of the linearly polarized wave through the birefringent single crystal metal oxide plate introduces a temperature dependent phase shift between the two waves. Thereafter, a second linear polarizer combines the first and second orthogonally polarized waves to create a modulated light spectrum having a fringe pattern, the fringe pattern being a function of the current temperature experienced by said birefringent element.