Patents by Inventor Kenneth D. Ceola

Kenneth D. Ceola 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: 7004072
    Abstract: The fuze is armed only if muzzle exit is sensed by a magnetic sensor within a predetermined time after setback is sensed and either one or both of a minimum spin rate is sensed by the magnetic sensor and/or a minimum number of turns are counted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth D. Ceola
  • Patent number: 6196130
    Abstract: The inventive environment sensor apparatus includes an electrostatic sensor carried by the projectile. The electrostatic sensor has first and second electrical conducting areas separated by a dielectric material to form two plates of a capacitor. The first electrical conducting area is conductively connected to a current-to-voltage converter and the second electrical conducting area is conductively connected to the outside projectile body surface. A time changing electric field surrounding the projectile causes a time changing current to flow within the electrostatic sensor, which is converted to a time changing voltage by the current-to-voltage converter. A threshold detector device is conductively connected to an output of the current-to-voltage converter and provides a voltage signal to the safe and arm mechanism when the time changing voltage signal from the current-to-voltage converter exceeds a predetermined level, to indicate that a change has occurred in the sensed muzzle exit environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Crist, Kenneth D. Ceola