Patents by Inventor Gregory Zimmerman

Gregory Zimmerman 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: 11079230
    Abstract: One example includes a FOG assembly including a spool that includes a flattened portion corresponding to a flange comprising an axial center corresponding to a sensitive axis about which an associated FOG system is configured to measure rotation. The FOG assembly also includes a magnetic shield arranged as a capped concentric cover about the sensitive axis and coupled to the spool and the flange to create a toroidal cavity between the magnetic shield and the flange. A fiber coil is disposed within the toroidal cavity and coupled to the flange. The fiber coil includes an optical fiber which is counter-wound in first and second orientations. The fiber coil has an axial dimension along the sensitive axis that is less than or equal to approximately 160% of a radial width corresponding to a difference between an outer radius and an inner radius of the fiber coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven M. Kim, Gregory A. Zimmerman, Daniel A. Tazartes, Brent Robert Bateman
  • Patent number: 11047688
    Abstract: One example includes fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) assembly. The FOG assembly includes a spool comprising a flange. The FOG assembly also includes an optical fiber comprising an optical fiber coil portion that is counter-wound in a first orientation and a second orientation opposite the first orientation. The optical fiber portion can be coupled to the flange. The optical fiber further includes a loopback portion with respect to the first orientation that is secured to the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven M. Kim, Stephan P. Lovstedt, Gregory A. Zimmerman, Wesley A. Snow, Ragini Saxena, Ricardo A. Rosete
  • Patent number: 10989535
    Abstract: One example includes a fiber-optic gyroscope (FOG) system that includes a fiber coil. The coil includes an optical fiber wound around a spool of a FOG. The optical fiber includes a first input and a second input. The system also includes an optical beam controller comprising an optical switch that provides a first optical beam to the first input and a second optical beam to the second input during a first switching state, and provides the first optical beam to the second input and the second optical beam to the first input during a second switching state. The system further includes a controller that mitigates bias error in determining rotation of the FOG based on comparing the first and second optical beams output from the FOG during the first and second switching states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven M. Kim, Gregory A. Zimmerman, Daniel A. Tazartes
  • Publication number: 20200355501
    Abstract: One example includes a FOG assembly including a spool that includes a flattened portion corresponding to a flange comprising an axial center corresponding to a sensitive axis about which an associated FOG system is configured to measure rotation. The FOG assembly also includes a magnetic shield arranged as a capped concentric cover about the sensitive axis and coupled to the spool and the flange to create a toroidal cavity between the magnetic shield and the flange. A fiber coil is disposed within the toroidal cavity and coupled to the flange. The fiber coil includes an optical fiber which is counter-wound in first and second orientations. The fiber coil has an axial dimension along the sensitive axis that is less than or equal to approximately 160% of a radial width corresponding to a difference between an outer radius and an inner radius of the fiber coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: STEVEN M. KIM, GREGORY A. ZIMMERMAN, DANIEL A. TAZARTES, BRENT ROBERT BATEMAN
  • Publication number: 20190113343
    Abstract: One example includes fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) assembly. The FOG assembly includes a spool comprising a flange. The FOG assembly also includes an optical fiber comprising an optical fiber coil portion that is counter-wound in a first orientation and a second orientation opposite the first orientation. The optical fiber portion can be coupled to the flange. The optical fiber further includes a loopback portion with respect to the first orientation that is secured to the flange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: STEVEN M. KIM, STEPHAN P. LOVSTEDT, GREGORY A. ZIMMERMAN, WESLEY A. SNOW, RAGINI SAXENA, RICARDO A. ROSETE
  • Patent number: 10047793
    Abstract: A cage for a roller bearing is provided. The cage has a ring-shaped base body with a plurality of pockets for receiving rolling elements. The base body is formed by two side rings arranged in a defined axial distance and by a plurality of pocket elements, which are located between the side rings. Each pocket element has two face sides designed for contacting a rolling element. The connection between the pocket element and each of the side rings is established by at least one beam joined with one of the side rings and the pocket element. The beam is a positive substance joined with one of the side rings and the pocket element and has a ring-shaped or elliptical cross section in a section perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Philipp Krebs, Gilbert Peters, Sebastian Ziegler, Gregory A Zimmerman
  • Publication number: 20170191527
    Abstract: A cage for a roller bearing is provided. The cage has a ring-shaped base body with a plurality of pockets for receiving rolling elements. The base body is formed by two side rings arranged in a defined axial distance and by a plurality of pocket elements, which are located between the side rings. Each pocket element has two face sides designed for contacting a rolling element. The connection between the pocket element and each of the side rings is established by at least one beam joined with one of the side rings and the pocket element. The beam is a positive substance joined with one of the side rings and the pocket element and has a ring-shaped or elliptical cross section in a section perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Philipp Krebs, Gilbert Peters, Sebastian Ziegler, Gregory A Zimmerman
  • Publication number: 20140182747
    Abstract: A method for treating a steel bearing component includes subjecting the steel bearing component to a scouring treatment to impart compressive residual stress to a surface region thereof and subsequently nitriding the steel bearing component 1. The resulting steel bearing component exhibits a nitrided case depth of about 0.002-0.014 inches and a compressive residual stress value greater than ?120 ksi is achieved at a depth of 0.002 inches and ?20 ksi to a minimum depth of 0.010?. The steel bearing component may be a race and/or a rolling element, such as a ball.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Bryan A. McCoy, Gregory A. Zimmerman, Don L. Anthony, Mark A. Ragen
  • Patent number: 8406940
    Abstract: A method for mapping a railroad track is provided. The method includes defining a plurality of track segments that form the railroad track and determining coordinates of each track segment. The method also includes storing the coordinates of each track segment in a database as map segments and linking the map segments stored in the database to create a multi-dimensional railroad track map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Tom Otsubo, Wolfgang Daum, Craig Alan Stull, Gerald Hess, Andrew David Caple, Misty McCrea Chambers, Jason G. White, Robert Allen Coker, John Gregory Zimmerman
  • Publication number: 20090177401
    Abstract: A method for mapping a railroad track is provided. The method includes defining a plurality of track segments that form the railroad track and determining coordinates of each track segment. The method also includes storing the coordinates of each track segment in a database as map segments and linking the map segments stored in the database to create a multi-dimensional railroad track map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Tom Otsubo, Wolfgang Daum, Craig Alan Stull, Gerald Hess, Andrew David Caple, Misty McCrea Chambers, Jason G. White, Robert Allen Coker, John Gregory Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 6438280
    Abstract: An optical waveguide is formed in an integrated optics chip that includes a substrate formed of an electrooptically active material. The optical waveguide network has an input facet where optical signals may be input to the optical waveguide network and an output facet where optical signals may be output from the optical waveguide network. A structure is located in an upper layer of the substrate to prevent surface waves that propagate in the substrate from cross coupling into the output facet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Litton Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lorrie L. Gampp, Gregory Zimmerman, Arthur R. Martinez, Thomas M. Flaherty
  • Patent number: 6351575
    Abstract: An integrated optics chip includes an optical waveguide network formed on a surface of an electrooptically active material. The optical waveguide network has an input facet where an optical signal may be input to the optical waveguide network and an output facet where optical signals may be output from the optical waveguide network. One or more trenches is formed in the bottom surface of the surface and arranged to extend into the substrate toward the optical waveguide network to a depth of at least 70% of the thickness. The trenches prevent light rays incident thereon from inside the substrate from propagating to the output facet. In particular, the trenches prevent light scattered at the input facet or from scattering centers in the optical waveguide network from reflecting from the bottom surface of the substrate to the output facet. A cover may be mounted to the top surface of the substrate to provide structural strength to the integrated optics chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Litton Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lorrie L. Gampp, Gregory Zimmerman, Arthur R. Martinez, Thomas M. Flaherty, Christine E. Geosling
  • Patent number: 6128424
    Abstract: An Integrated Optics Chip with improved performance when exposed to rapidly changing temperature is disclosed. The optic chip or integrated optic chip or MIOC has a top surface, a +Z face and -Z face. The chip is formed from a crystal having a high electro-optic coefficient such as Lithium Niobate. For the purpose of orienting the components to the optic chip to be described, the +Z crystal axis extends outward from the +Z face. An input waveguide formed in the top surface of the chip and orthogonal to the +Z axis receives an optical signal from an input port, passes the signal via a waveguide network, to an output waveguide coupling the waveguide network to an output port. Metalization is applied to the top face of the optic chip to form at least a first and a second rail. The first and second rails are positioned to very closely straddle a portion of the input waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Litton Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Lorrie L. Gampp, Gregory A. Zimmerman, Christine E. Geosling, John P. Rahn
  • Patent number: 6044184
    Abstract: An integrated optics chip with improved performance when exposed to changing temperature is disclosed. The optic chip or integrated optics chip or MIOC has a top surface, a +Z face and -Z face. The integrated optics chip is formed from a crystal substrate having a high electro-optic coefficient such as Lithium Niobate. For the purpose of orienting the components to the optic chip to be described, the +Z crystal axis extends outward from the +Z face, the Z axis being the axis across which a pyroelectric effect is exhibited. The top surface is orthogonal to the Z axis. An input waveguide on the top surface receives an optical signal from an input port, passes the signal via a waveguide network, to an output waveguide coupling the waveguide network to an output port. A portion of the +Z and -Z faces are coated at least partially with a conductive coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Litton Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Shafer, Henry C. Abbink, John P. Rahn, Christine E. Geosling, Gregory A. Zimmerman