Patents by Inventor RYAN M. CRITTENDEN

RYAN M. CRITTENDEN 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).

  • Ammunition cartridge including an optical primer
    Patent number: 11543223
    Abstract: An ammunition cartridge including a case, an ignitable material within the case and an optical primer for igniting the ignitable material. The optical primer includes a conductive cylindrical cup electrically coupled to the case and a circular conductive button including a top button portion positioned in the cup and a bottom button portion extending through an opening in the cup, where the button and the cup are electrically isolated. The optical primer further includes a first bracket electrically coupled to the button, a second bracket electrically coupled to the cup, and a pair of laser diodes electrically coupled in a reverse parallel direction and being electrically coupled to the first and second brackets, where one of the laser diodes generates a laser beam that ignites the ignition material in response to a current flow in either direction through the case, the cup and the button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin L. Callan, Andrew M. Singleton, Ryan M. Crittenden, Michael L. Fisher, Wade Collins, Francis L. Struemph, Edward F. Stephens, IV
  • AMMUNITION CARTRIDGE INCLUDING AN OPTICAL PRIMER
    Publication number: 20220074725
    Abstract: An ammunition cartridge including a case, an ignitable material within the case and an optical primer for igniting the ignitable material. The optical primer includes a conductive cylindrical cup electrically coupled to the case and a circular conductive button including a top button portion positioned in the cup and a bottom button portion extending through an opening in the cup, where the button and the cup are electrically isolated. The optical primer further includes a first bracket electrically coupled to the button, a second bracket electrically coupled to the cup, and a pair of laser diodes electrically coupled in a reverse parallel direction and being electrically coupled to the first and second brackets, where one of the laser diodes generates a laser beam that ignites the ignition material in response to a current flow in either direction through the case, the cup and the button.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: KEVIN L. CALLAN, ANDREW M. SINGLETON, RYAN M. CRITTENDEN, MICHAEL L. FISHER, WADE COLLINS, FRANCIS L. STRUEMPH, EDWARD F. STEPHENS, IV
  • Voltage polarity immunity using reverse parallel laser diodes
    Patent number: 11209257
    Abstract: An optical primer for igniting an ignition material in an ammunition cartridge. The primer includes a conductive cylindrical cup electrically coupled to a cartridge case and a circular conductive button including a top button portion positioned in the cup and a bottom button portion extending through an opening in the cup, where the button and the cup are electrically isolated. The primer further includes a first bracket electrically coupled to the button, a second bracket electrically coupled to the cup, and a pair of laser diodes electrically coupled in a reverse parallel direction and being electrically coupled to the first and second brackets, where one of the laser diodes generate a laser beam that ignites the ignition material in response to a current flow in either direction through the case, the cup and the button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin L. Callan, Andrew M. Singleton, Ryan M. Crittenden, Michael L. Fisher, Wade Collins, Francis L. Struemph, Edward F. Stephens, IV
  • VOLTAGE POLARITY IMMUNITY USING REVERSE PARALLEL LASER DIODES
    Publication number: 20210278187
    Abstract: An optical primer for igniting an ignition material in an ammunition cartridge. The primer includes a conductive cylindrical cup electrically coupled to a cartridge case and a circular conductive button including a top button portion positioned in the cup and a bottom button portion extending through an opening in the cup, where the button and the cup are electrically isolated. The primer further includes a first bracket electrically coupled to the button, a second bracket electrically coupled to the cup, and a pair of laser diodes electrically coupled in a reverse parallel direction and being electrically coupled to the first and second brackets, where one of the laser diodes generate a laser beam that ignites the ignition material in response to a current flow in either direction through the case, the cup and the button.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: KEVIN L. CALLAN, ANDREW M. SINGLETON, RYAN M. CRITTENDEN, MICHAEL L. FISHER, WADE COLLINS, FRANCIS L. STRUEMPH, EDWARD F. STEPHENS, IV