Patents by Inventor François-Xavier LAUNAY

François-Xavier LAUNAY 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: 10992099
    Abstract: A holder and at least one terminal element that are configured and arranged with respect to one another so as to form a cavity of length ?L bounded axially by two walls the relative position of which with respect to each other varies in the opposite direction to the variation in ambient temperature, an increase in temperature causing the walls to move closer together and vice versa. A linear structure incorporating the device sees its length decrease when temperature increases and vice versa. Electro-optical transducers comprising a piezoelectric actuator of linear structure that acts on the length of a segment of optical fiber that forms the laser source of the transducer, and having such a device incorporated into the actuator in order to compensate, by modifying the length of the segment of fiber, for the variations in wavelength induced in the laser by the variations in temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: François - Xavier Launay, Raphael Lardat, Gérard Roux, Christophe Oubaiche, Romain Barreau, Thomas Pastureaud
  • Publication number: 20210119400
    Abstract: A holder and at least one terminal element that are configured and arranged with respect to one another so as to form a cavity of length ?L bounded axially by two walls the relative position of which with respect to each other varies in the opposite direction to the variation in ambient temperature, an increase in temperature causing the walls to move closer together and vice versa. A linear structure incorporating the device sees its length decrease when temperature increases and vice versa. Electro-optical transducers comprising a piezoelectric actuator of linear structure that acts on the length of a segment of optical fiber that forms the laser source of the transducer, and having such a device incorporated into the actuator in order to compensate, by modifying the length of the segment of fiber, for the variations in wavelength induced in the laser by the variations in temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: François - Xavier LAUNAY, Raphael LARDAT, Gérard ROUX, Christophe OUBAICHE, Romain BARREAU, Thomas PASTUREAUD
  • Patent number: 10627284
    Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing an optical-fibre sensor device, including an enclosure defining a cavity and an optical-fibre sensor including an optical-fibre and a device for holding the sensor rigidly connected to the optical fibre, the optical fibre passing through the holding device between two attachment points. The method comprises: positioning the optical-fibre sensor in the enclosure to pass the fibre through two passage openings provided on the enclosure, which defines two optical-fibre portions in the enclosure, on either side of the holding device, each fibre portion extending between one of the attachment points and one of the passage openings; holding the optical-fibre sensor in position; performing a differential elongation of the enclosure relative to the optical-fibre sensor in the longitudinal direction and towards the outside of the enclosure, the optical-fibre sensor remaining held in position; attaching the optical fibre to the enclosure at the passage openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: François-Xavier Launay, Raphael Lardat, Gérard Roux
  • Publication number: 20190003880
    Abstract: An electro-optical transducer includes a section of optical fiber including a sensitive area conveying an optical signal representative of an elongation of the sensitive area, the section of optical fiber being taut and extending longitudinally at rest substantially along a longitudinal axis, a piezoelectric actuator including at least one piezoelectric assembly including a piezoelectric bar, the piezoelectric bar extending longitudinally at rest substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the piezoelectric bar being provided with a pair of electrodes between which the piezoelectric bar is intended to be supplied with electric power by way of an electrical signal delivered by a sensor, the piezoelectric bar being intended to deform essentially through expansion or contraction of said bar parallel to the longitudinal axis in response to a variation in the electrical signal and being coupled mechanically to the section of optical fiber such that this expansion or contraction of the piezoelectric bar brings
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Raphaël LARDAT, François-Xavier LAUNAY
  • Publication number: 20180073916
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical-fibre sensor device is provided, including an enclosure defining a recess and an optical-fibre sensor including an optical-fibre and a device for holding the sensor that is rigidly connected to the optical fibre, the optical fibre passing through the holding device between two attachment points provided on the holding device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: François-Xavier LAUNAY, Raphael LARDAT, Gérard ROUX
  • Patent number: 9103713
    Abstract: The invention consists of an optical hydrophone, an optical fiber element forming a laser cavity, housed in a mechanical structure which comprises an open cylindrical rigid body, defining the cavity enclosing a fluid and in which the optical fiber element is housed, and closed at its ends by two end caps which keep the optical fiber element permanently under tension, in a longitudinal rectilinear position inside the cavity. The end caps are configured in such a way that when the exterior pressure varies, they undergo a deformation giving rise to a variation in the length of the optical fiber element and that when the temperature varies, they undergo a deformation giving rise to a variation in the length of the optical fiber element which compensates for that induced on this element by the temperature variation. The mechanical structure furthermore exhibits one or more orifices allowing equilibration of the static pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Francois-Xavier Launay, Martine Doisy, Raphael Lardat, Gerard Roux
  • Publication number: 20140036635
    Abstract: The invention consists of an optical hydrophone, an optical fiber element forming a laser cavity, housed in a mechanical structure which comprises an open cylindrical rigid body, defining the cavity enclosing a fluid and in which the optical fiber element is housed, and closed at its ends by two end caps which keep the optical fiber element permanently under tension, in a longitudinal rectilinear position inside the cavity. The end caps are configured in such a way that when the exterior pressure varies, they undergo a deformation giving rise to a variation in the length of the optical fiber element and that when the temperature varies, they undergo a deformation giving rise to a variation in the length of the optical fiber element which compensates for that induced on this element by the temperature variation. The mechanical structure furthermore exhibits one or more orifices allowing equilibration of the static pressures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: THALES
    Inventors: Francois-Xavier Launay, Martine Doisy, Raphael Lardat, Gerard Roux