Patents by Inventor Edward J. Stearns

Edward J. Stearns 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: 5585592
    Abstract: A shock tolerant fuze includes a detector for determining when fuze timing should be initiated, a movable safe and arm assembly containing a time delay circuit and a firing aperture. The firing train detonator is preferably also mounted on the movable armature. When the fuze is armed, the time delay circuit is coupled to the detector and to the detonator, and the aperture provides a pathway between the output of the detonator and the remainder of explosive firing train of the weapon. Electrical energy storage is provided on the armature for powering the time delay circuit and the detonator in the event that primary power thereto is interrupted by impact. By including the time delay circuit and energy storage on the movable armature, a very shock tolerant fuze is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward J. Stearns, Philip J. Huerta
  • Patent number: 5277113
    Abstract: An advanced optical sensor for determining the stand-off distance from a trajecting container to a target utilizes various checks and filters to eliminate false detonations caused by glint and counter-measures. The sensor is comprised of a transmitter, a receiver, and a wave generator. The wave generator generates a unique wave form which is relayed to both the receiver and the transmitter. The light emitted from the transmitted follows a pattern defined by the wave generator. When light is received by the receiver, a synchronous detector coupled to the wave form generator determines if the return light has a pattern correlating with the unique wave form from the wave generator. If so, the associated electric signal in the receiver must pass a predetermined threshold for a predetermined period of time before the sensor will generate a detonate signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward J. Stearns, Robert H. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5142985
    Abstract: An advanced optical sensor for determining the stand-off distance from a trajecting container to a target utilizes various checks and filters to eliminate false detonations caused by glint and counter-measures. The sensor is comprised of a transmitter, a receiver, and a wave generator. The wave generator generates a unique wave form which is relayed to both the receiver and the transmitter. The light emitted from the transmitted follows a pattern defined by the wave generator. When light is received by the receiver, a synchronous detector coupled to the wave form generator determines if the return light has a pattern correlating with the unique wave form from the wave generator. If so, the associated electric signal in the receiver must pass a predetermined threshold for a predetermined period of time before the sensor will generate a detonate signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward J. Stearns, Robert H. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5142984
    Abstract: An advanced optical sensor for determining the stand-off distance from a trajecting container to a target utilizes various checks and filters to eliminate false detonations caused by glint and counter-measures. The sensor is comprised of a transmitter, a receiver, and a wave generator. The wave generator generates a unique wave form which is relayed to both the receiver and the transmitter. The light emitted from the transmitted follows a pattern defined by the wave generator. When light is received by the receiver, a synchronous detector coupled to the wave form generator determines if the return light has a pattern correlating with the unique wave form from the wave generator. If so, the associated electric signal in the receiver must pass a predetermined threshold for a predetermined period of time before the sensor will generate a detonate signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward J. Stearns, Robert H. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5089727
    Abstract: A modulator circuit provides pulses of electrical energy to an electrical load in response to a trigger signal. A normally nonconductive Mosfet is included in a series circuit path with the electrical load and a capacitor. A silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) is coupled to the gate electrode of the MOSFET. A trigger signal renders the SCR conductive to thereby render the MOSFET conductive which discharges the capacitor through the electrical load to provide a pulse of electrical energy having a rapid rise time to the electrical load. The electrical load can be a laser diode which emits a pulse of light for use in an optical ranging device in response to the pulse of electrical energy. The accuracy of the ranging device is proportional to the rise time of the pulse of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence H. Molitor, Edward J. Stearns