Patents by Inventor Robert E. Brainard

Robert E. Brainard 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: 5476239
    Abstract: A gyro platform assembly for determining the coning rate of a spinning and oning vehicle. A rotatable gimbal is attached to the vehicle such that the axis of rotation of the gimbal is in line with a spin axis of the vehicle. A rotatable platform, that supports three gyros, is attached to the gimbal. An axis of rotation of the platform is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the gimbal. Each gyro has a rotation sensing axis, the sensing axes being mutually orthogonal, one such sensing axis being placed in line with the spin axis of the vehicle. A sensing axis, that is orthogonal to the spin axis of the vehicle, senses a coning rate of the vehicle. The output of the sensing axis is processed by a computer. The computer outputs a value equal to a sine of the coning rate of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Robert E. Brainard
  • Patent number: 5406858
    Abstract: A gyro platform assembly for determining a drift rate of a sensing axis of first gyro, the sensing axis being fixedly aligned to a carrousel axis. The first gyro is on a plane of a first platform. The first platform is connected to a vehicle along the carrousel axis. The first platform has the plane and an opening. A second platform is connected to the first platform within the opening. The second gyro is on a surface of the second platform. The second platform is carrouselable around a carrousel axis that is perpendicular to the carrousel axis of the first platform. The second gyro has a sensing axis that is adjustibly aligned with the sensing axis of the first gyro. When the vehicle rotates, each sensing axis experiences the same rotation rate. Each sensing axis produces a signal that is the result of the rotation rate of the vehicle, and a sensing axis drift rate. The second platform is carrouseled 180 degrees and the sensing axis of its gyro produces another signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Robert E. Brainard