Abstract: A thermal battery including: a casing; a battery cell disposed in the casing; a heat generating pyrotechnic material, separate from the battery cell, at least partially surrounding the battery cell; and insulation disposed between the heat generating pyrotechnic material and the casing, wherein the heat generating pyrotechnic material is disposed in a flattened tube having a flat cross-section where at least two sides are substantially parallel, the flattened tube being spirally wound to form a shape corresponding to a complimentary shape of at least a portion of the battery cell.

Abstract: A device including: a processor being configured to: instruct an image sensor to capture first image data of a patch applied to a user's skin unprotected against an ultraviolent spectrum of radiation, the patch having a reflection coefficient in the ultraviolent spectrum; measure a first reflectance from the patch based on the reflection coefficient; determine a second reflectance from the unprotected skin adjacent to the patch based on the measured first reflectance; instruct the image sensor to capture second image data of the user's skin after application of a sunscreen; determine a third reflectance from the skin adjacent to the applied patch for the skin having the applied sunscreen based on the measured first reflectance; and determine a time extending factor for the applied sunscreen based on the second and third reflectance.

Abstract: A device responsive to an acceleration pulse event, the device including: a piezoelectric device configured to generate a voltage over a duration responsive to one or more acceleration pulse events; an electrical storage device configured to receive a portion of the generated voltage to accumulate a charge; an energy dissipating device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to dissipate the accumulated charge following the one or more acceleration pulse events and not to substantially dissipate the accumulated charge during the one or more acceleration pulse events; and a voltage limiting device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to limit the portion of the generated voltage applied to the electrical storage device to a predetermined limit.

Abstract: A method for rotating a toggle link upon an acceleration event greater than a predetermined threshold. The method including: biasing a toggle link against a stop when the acceleration event is less than the predetermined threshold, a position of the toggle link against the stop being on a first side of a singular position of the toggle link; biasing the toggle link towards an opposite direction from the stop when the toggle link is positioned on a second side of the singular position; and moving the toggle link from the first side of the singular position to the second side of the singular position when the base structure undergoes an acceleration event greater than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A charger for charging an energy storage device having a core with an electrolyte, the charger including: a controller comprising hardware, the controller being configured to: obtain a measurement and/or approximation of a temperature of the electrolyte; determine whether the obtained temperature is below a predetermined threshold considered to at least reduce the charging efficiency of the energy storage device; and input a predetermined voltage and/or current input to terminals of the energy storage device causing internal components of the energy storage device to generate heat if the temperature is determined to be less than the predetermined threshold, wherein the energy storage device includes an internal surface capacitance, which can store electric field energy between internal electrodes of the energy storage device, and the controller is configured to input an AC current to the terminals with a frequency high enough to effectively short the internal surface capacitance.

Abstract: A method for generating power in a gravity dropped munition, the method including: winding a cable around a drum of a generator associated with the munition; attaching the cable from the generator to a portion of an aircraft; separating the munition from the aircraft to unwind the cable from the drum to release the cable from the drum after a predetermined amount of rotation of the drum; converting the rotation of the drum to energy in a spring as the cable is unwound from the drum; restricting movement of an intermediate member connecting the drum to the generator while the cable is being unwound from the drum; and ending the restricting when the cable is released from the drum allowing the intermediate member to engage the drum with the generator to produce power from the generator.

Abstract: A cavity sensor including: a body defining a cavity, the cavity having an opening on one end and a closed surface on other end; a reflective surface disposed in the cavity, the reflective surface being angled 45 degrees relative to a propagation direction of an incoming wave through the opening; and first and second angle probes positioned on each of two ends of the reflective surface. Also provided is a cavity sensor including: a body defining a cavity, the body having two or more conduits, each having an opening, the body having a closed surface opposing the openings, and a probe positioned in the cavity at a position common to each of the two or more conduits.

Abstract: A projectile including: a body having an internal space; and a mechanical stepper motor disposed in the body, the mechanical stepper motor including: a shuttle having one of a plurality of pockets and movable pins offset from each other with a first spacing; a body portion having the other of the plurality of pockets and movable pins offset from each other with a second spacing, where the first spacing is different from the second spacing; and actuation means for engaging at least one of the movable pins into a corresponding pocket to step one of the shuttle and body portion a predetermined linear and/or rotary displacement; wherein the mechanical stepper motor outputs the predetermined linear and/or rotary displacement to an actuated device operatively connected to the shuttle.

Abstract: An inertial igniter for igniting a thermal battery upon a predetermined acceleration event. The inertial igniter including: a base having a first projection; a striker mass rotatably connected to the base through a rotatable connection, the base having a second projection aligned with the first projection such that when the striker mass is rotated towards the base, the first projection impacts the second projection; a rotation prevention mechanism for preventing impact of the first and second projections unless the predetermined acceleration event is experienced; and a spring for biasing the striker mass in a biasing direction away from the base, the spring being disposed between a portion of the striker mass and a portion of the rotation prevention mechanism.

Abstract: A method for remotely guiding a refueling boom of a tanker to engage with a fueling receptacle of an aircraft while the tanker and the aircraft are in flight. The method comprising: transmitting a polarized RF scanning pattern from one of the refueling boom and refueling receptacle; detecting the polarized RF scanning pattern at one or more cavity sensors disposed on the other of the refueling boom and the refueling receptacle; and controlling a position of the refueling boom relative to a position of the refueling receptacle based on the detected polarized RF scanning pattern at the one or more cavity sensors.

Abstract: A method for detecting hardened bunkers within a target, the method including: producing a first output from a sensor fired to travel through the hardened bunkers, the first output being different from a second output when the sensor travels in a void between the hardened bunkers or encounters other objects outside of the hardened bunkers; and determining one or more of the number of hardened bunkers, a thickness of the hardened bunkers and a strength of the hardened bunkers based on the first and second outputs of the sensor over time. The sensor can include one of a piezoelectric generator for producing a voltage output and a circuit input by the voltage output or an accelerometer having a locking member for locking a proof mass during periods of impact with the one or more hardened bunkers.

Abstract: A mortar shell including: a metallic inner layer; a polymer outer layer having reinforcing fibers dispersed therein; and at least one layer of metallic fragments disposed between the inner and outer layers, the layer of metallic fragments including a plurality of individual metallic fragments unconnected to each other. In a variation, the mortar shell including: a metallic inner layer, the metallic inner layer having a grid formed on an outer surface to define a plurality of metallic fragments separated by grooves; a polymer having first reinforcing fibers disposed within the grooves; and a polymer outer layer having second reinforcing fibers dispersed therein. In another variation, the mortar shell including a polymer outer layer having reinforcing fibers dispersed therein; and a metallic inner layer having a plurality of metallic fragments with a shape to interlock to each of the other and assembled together into the metallic inner layer.

Abstract: A method for producing electrical energy in a munition includes; initiating a thermal battery contained within the munition to generate electrical energy; dumping the electrical energy generated by the thermal battery into an electrical energy storage device before the thermal battery becomes inactive; and using the stored electrical energy in the electrical energy storage device over a period of time. The initiation device can be an inertial igniter, the electrical energy storage device can be a capacitor and the thermal battery, initiation device and electrical energy storage device can be configured such that the initiation device and electrical energy storage device sandwich the thermal battery.

Abstract: A method for charging an energy storage device having a core with an electrolyte. The method including: (a) obtaining one or more of a measurement or approximation of a temperature of the electrolyte; (b) determining whether the temperature obtained in step (a) is below a predetermined threshold considered to at least reduce the charging efficiency of the energy storage device; and (c) inputting one or more of a predetermined voltage and current input to terminals of the energy storage device causing internal components of the energy storage device to generate heat if the temperature is determined to be less than the predetermined temperature. Similarly, a method for discharging an energy storage device having an electrolyte is provided.

Abstract: A mechanism including: a toggle link rotatably connected to a base structure; a first element associated with the toggle link; a second element associated with the base structure; a biasing element having a first end attached to the base structure and a second end attached to the toggle link such that the first element moves towards the second element; and a blocking element movably disposed between a first position blocking movement of the toggle link and a second position allowing to first element of the toggle link to move towards the second element when the base structure undergoes an acceleration event greater than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A method for determining a location of remotely emplaced objects.

Abstract: A munition including: a shell; and a generator including: a drum having a cable with a free end, the drum includes a drum gear, the cable releasing from the drum when unwound; a spring for storing energy as the cable is unwound; a generator connected to the drum such that drum rotation is transferred to an input of the generator after the cable is unwound and stored energy in the spring turns the member, the generator includes an input gear connected to the drum gear; and a clutch having an input gear engaged with the drum gear and an output gear engaged with the generator input gear, wherein the clutch transfers rotation of the clutch input gear to rotation of the clutch output gear after the cable is unwound and released from the drum and the stored energy in the spring turns the drum.

Abstract: A dressing for application to skin, the dressing including: first and second portions; an adhesive applied on a surface of the first and second portions for adhering the first and second portions to the skin; an elastic member having one end connected to an end of the first portion and another end connected to an end of the second portion; and a locking member entirely disposed between the end of the first portion and the end of the second portion, the locking member restraining the elastic member into a first shape; wherein when the locking member is at least partially removed from between the first and second portions, the elastic member moves in a direction towards an unrestrained second shape.

Abstract: An apparatus actuatable under a rotary acceleration having a predetermined duration and magnitude. The apparatus including: a body having a first channel and a second channel, the second channel being disposed radially offset from the first channel; a mass disposed in the first channel, the mass having an arm disposed at a first end of the mass and the arm being rotatable from a first position in which the arm cannot move within the second channel to a second position in which the arm can move inside the second channel; a first biasing spring member having a first end connected to the body and a second end connected to the arm such that when the arm is subjected to the rotary acceleration greater than the predetermined duration and magnitude, the arm is biased to rotate from the first position to the second position; wherein the mass is connected to the arm such that the mass moves in the first channel and the arm moves in the second channel when the arm is biased into the second position.

Abstract: A method for generating electrical power, the method including: storing potential energy in an elastic element having one end attached to a shaft and another end attached to a structure upon rotation of the shaft relative to the structure in a first angular direction; and moving a retaining mechanism between an engaged position for retaining the shaft from rotating in a second angular direction opposite to the first angular direction and a power generating position permitting the shaft to rotate in the second angular direction; wherein when the retaining mechanism is moved to the power generating position, the stored potential energy in the elastic element is converted to kinetic energy to rotate the shaft which in turn rotates a generator operatively coupled to the shaft so as to produce electrical power.