Abstract: An eddy probe is provided for identifying non-homogeneous objects in a material. The probe includes a power supply, an oscillator to produce electrical excitation powered by said power supply, a plurality of eddy current detectors, each detector measuring eddy current density, a marker disposed adjacent said plurality for indicating a location on the material in response to a maximum of the eddy current density, and a housing for containing the power supply, oscillator, detectors and marker. The plurality can be two or three detectors. The marker can include a drill bit disposed adjacent the detectors, a transmission connecting to the drill bit; and an electric motor connecting to the transmission and powered by the power supply for rotating the drill bit.

Abstract: A hydro-reactive projectile is provided for striking a target. The projectile includes a housing composed substantially of aluminum and having a peripheral surface; and at least one cavity within said housing and a plurality of conduits connecting said cavity to said surface, wherein the cavity contains water.

Abstract: A projectile instrument is provided for penetrating a target, the penetrator element being disposable in a projectile. The instrument includes a substantially cylindrical core, first and second plates and first and second devices. The core has first and second ends and a radially extending surface. The first plate supports the first end; the second plate supports the second end. The first device radially constrains the surface, whereas the second device axially constrains the first and second ends respectively disposed between their corresponding plates. Preferably, the core is either a ceramic or else is composed of reactive materials. In one embodiment, the first plate and the first device combine as a closed sleeve; the second plate is a lid removably secured to the first plate; and the second device is a helical spring disposed between the first end and the first plate.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a particulate filter to pass through select permeate particles in a fluid medium from inflow to outflow regions while restraining reticulate particles. The method includes providing an aluminum oxide substrate; disposing a sol-gel membrane onto the substrate to form a tiered filtration unit; drying the filtration unit; and calcinating the filtration unit.

Abstract: A projectile instrument is provided for penetrating a target, the penetrator element being disposable in a projectile. The instrument includes a substantially cylindrical core, first and second plates and first and second devices. The core has first and second ends and a radially extending surface. The first plate supports the first end; the second plate supports the second end. The first device radially constrains the surface, whereas the second device axially constrains the first and second ends respectively disposed between their corresponding plates. Preferably, the core is either a ceramic or else is composed of reactive materials. In one embodiment, the first plate and the first device combine as a closed sleeve; the second plate is a lid removably secured to the first plate; and the second device is a helical spring disposed between the first end and the first plate.

Abstract: A measurement system is provided to monitor a launcher assembly along a path along which to accelerate a projectile. This system includes an optical sensor, a light emitter, a light detector and a signal analyzer. The sensor is continuously disposed on (or integrated to) the assembly at a position on the path and has initial and terminus ends. The light emitter transmits an optical signal from the initial end. The light detector receives the optical signal from either the initial or terminus ends. The signal analyzer compares the optical signal from the detector to a quantifiable deflection of the assembly launcher. The signal analyzer issues an alarm indication in response to the quantifiable deflection exceeds a hazard-condition threshold. The sensor may be positioned either substantially parallel to or transverse at discrete points along the path and be disposed longitudinally along and/or wrapped helically around the launcher barrel.

Abstract: An armor plate is provided for a body jacket to include provision for electrical power. The plate includes a flexible substrate, a ceramic cover disposed on the substrate, and a battery. The cover includes cavities along the substrate, with the battery disposed within the cavities. The battery comprises sheets disposed within the cavities. The battery includes a first metal layer disposed on the substrate, an electrolyte layer disposed on the first electrode layer and a second electrode layer disposed between the electrolyte layer and the cover.

Abstract: An electromagnetic launcher is provided for accelerating a projectile from a breech end to a muzzle end. The launcher includes a container, a rail contained therein and a support. The container includes an inner surface along an axial direction. The rail is contained within the inner surface and includes a load surface to support the projectile and an interface surface. The support is disposed between the interface surface and the inner surface. The rail and the support provide a value to an expression for critical velocity V cr = 2 ? EIk ? ? ? A , where E is Young's modulus for the rail, I is moment of inertia for the rail, k is foundation modulus for the support, ? is density for the rail and A is the cross-sectional area of the rail. The launcher is configured such that the critical velocity increases along the axial direction towards the muzzle.

Abstract: A reactive composite projectile includes a reactive composite material in a solid form and an encasement material applied to and surrounding the solid form for exerting compressive forces thereon. Additionally or alternatively, an elongate structure can be positioned in the solid form. The elongate structure is made from a material having a mass density that is approximately 2 to 10 times the mass density of the reactive composite material.

Abstract: A reactive composite projectile includes a reactive composite material in a solid shape and an encasement material applied to and surrounding the solid shape for exerting compressive forces thereon. Additionally or alternatively, an elongate structure can be positioned in the solid shape. The elongate structure is made from a material having a mass density that is approximately 2 to 10 times the mass density of the reactive composite material.

Abstract: The present invention introduces a concept of “smart” ribbons, which use functionally tensioned optical fibers during the manufacture of fiber optic ribbons to create fiber ribbons with controlled geometrical configuration, optimized strain distribution and reduced attenuation. The ribbons may have flat or bowed cross section and be straight along the length or curved in its plane, or twisted unidirectionally, or periodically. These shapes and residual stress-strain state are induced and controlled by using tension functions instead of traditional constant-value tension per fiber during the ribbon manufacture. Further, the present invention reduces signal loss and/or attenuation in ribbon fibers caused by an increase in the strain variation from tensile strain to compressive strain along the length of the individual fibers when ribbons are manufactured, stacked, stranded around a strength member or twisted and bent during cable installation.

Abstract: A fiber optic buffer tube containing fiber optic ribbons centrally located within the buffer tube and a gel compound surrounding the fiber optic ribbons. Disposed within the gel compound, between the walls of the buffer tube and the fiber optic ribbons are gel swellable yarns and/or particles. The gel swellable yarns/particles volumetrically expand when in contact with the gel compound causing greater force to hold the gel compound in place, especially when the fiber optic buffer is heated. The gel swellable yarns/particles also provide greater surface area and help to prevent the fiber optic ribbons from coming into contact with the walls of the buffer tube, thereby preventing signal attenuation problems.

Abstract: The present invention adds a gel-swellable layer in fiber optic cables to aid in protecting the fibers within the cable. The gel-swellable layer can be placed on the fibers, individual ribbons, stacks of ribbons and on the inner surface of tubes by various methods, such as co-extrusion, and can be cured by either heat curing or UV curing. The gel-swellable layers of this invention can be either smooth or textured. When the fibers are placed into the tubes and the tubes are filled with the water resistant gel, the gel-swellable layer absorbs some of the gel causing it to “swell”. As a result of the “swelling” a certain volume of gel is absorbed by the layer, thus reducing the capability of the gel to flow at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for reducing and/or controlling the variations of excess fiber length along the length of reeled fiber optic buffer tubes during the manufacture of the buffer tubes. The present invention varies any number, or combination, of parameters during the manufacture of buffer tubes to achieve a substantially uniform excess fiber length along a reeled buffer tube. One embodiment of the inventive method uses monotonically decaying draw or take-up tension of the buffer tubes during winding, combined with a stiffness-compliant pad placed on the reel core to aid in providing a substantially uniform excess fiber length in the tube, while another embodiment uses a monotonically increasing angular speed of the reel in combination with the stiffness-compliant pad on the reel core.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable having a plurality of buffer tubes and filler rods or filler tubes disposed between the inner surface of the outer jacket of the fiber optic cable and the buffer tubes. The buffer tubes contain a plurality of optical fibers. The filler rods have a non-round core surrounded by a superabsorbant water swellable coating to provide protection for the optical fibers against the penetration of water within the cable. The filler rods and filler tubes are made of a solid or porous or foam-type material expanding in the presence of water.

Abstract: The present invention introduces a concept of “smart” ribbons, which use functionally tensioned optical fibers during the manufacture of fiber optic ribbons to create fiber ribbons with controlled geometrical configuration, optimized strain distribution and reduced attenuation. The ribbons may have flat or bowed cross section and be straight along the length or curved in its plane, or twisted unidirectionally, or periodically. These shapes and residual stress-strain state are induced and controlled by using tension functions instead of traditional constant-value tension per fiber during the ribbon manufacture. Further, the present invention reduces signal loss and/or attenuation in ribbon fibers caused by an increase in the strain variation from tensile strain to compressive strain along the length of the individual fibers when ribbons are manufactured, stacked, stranded around a strength member or twisted and bent during cable installation.

Abstract: A projectile for penetrating hardened targets is provided to include a shell having a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to an impact surface of the target; and a plurality of penetrator elements disposed in tandem in the shell along the longitudinal axis. The penetrator elements may be composed of ceramic, which has high compressive strength relative to most metals. Selected portions of the penetrator may be composed of heavy metals. The penetrator elements may be separated from each other by gaps, which may be filled with foam or other shock-absorbing material. An alternate projectile provides a unitary penetrator element composed of ceramic.

Abstract: A method is provided for destroying a target that includes dispersing submunition fragments in an array that is directed to intercept the target, and engaging said fragments to collide against an outer shell of the target, wherein said array distributes said fragments as having a ratio between a characteristic length of said fragments and a separation distance of at most 2.5 and a collision velocity of between 1.8 km/s 2.0 km/s. The ratio is preferably at most 1.9. The characteristic length corresponds to a spherical radius of the fragment. Each fragment has a mass between 150 grains and 300 grains. The array is preferably aligned to intercept the target at an angle offset by between 15° and 45° from perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the target. Each fragment has a preferable shape of a prism, a trapezoid or a pyramid.

Abstract: A penetrator instrument disposable in a projectile is provided for penetrating a target. The instrument includes a substantially cylindrical shell and a tip element. The shell includes a cavity at a fore end. The surface has an interior annular surface. The tip element is disposable into the cavity. The element has an exterior annular surface. The shell radially compresses the tip element along respective the interior and exterior annular surfaces that adjoin each other. The shell can optionally include an aft bore for mass balancing or containment of auxiliary materials. The element can be a ceramic or composed of reactive materials.

Abstract: A particulate filter is provided for passing through select permeate particles in a fluid medium from inflow to outflow regions while restraining reticulate particles. The filter includes a coarse-grain ceramic porous substrate, an intermediate-grain porous ceramic layer, a fine-grain ceramic porous membrane, and a channel there-through. The substrate opens into the outflow region as an outflow cavity. The intermediate-grain porous ceramic layer is disposed on the substrate. The fine-grain ceramic porous membrane is disposed on the layer and opens into the inflow region containing the medium as an inflow cavity. The channel directionally expands and connects the inflow and outflow cavities together by a substantially funnel-shape passage. The inflow cavity permits the permeate particles and the medium but obstructs the reticulate particles.