Patents by Inventor Shane Sammon

Shane Sammon 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).

  • Plasma shunting apparatus and method for ring laser gyroscope
    Patent number: 7535575
    Abstract: A ring laser gyroscope includes a first plasma shunt arranged to prevent the plasma from contacting a first mirror in the gain region and a second plasma shunt arranged to prevent the plasma from contacting a second mirror in the gain region. The first and second plasma shunts may comprise electrical conductors located in the respective mirror wells and arranged such that contact between the plasma and the electrical conductors quenches the plasma in the mirror wells and produces electrical currents that travels across the mirror wells. The electrical conductors may be formed as metallized strips arranged to extend across the mirror wells, or they may be formed from metal wires. The plasma shunts may alternatively comprise diversion passages formed in the frame and arranged such that the plasma fills the diversion passages and bypasses the mirrors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Litton Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Mitchell, Shane Sammon, Carl Bathelt, Jr.
  • Plasma shunting apparatus and method for ring laser gyroscope
    Publication number: 20080304052
    Abstract: A ring laser gyroscope includes a first plasma shunt arranged to prevent the plasma from contacting a first mirror in the gain region and a second plasma shunt arranged to prevent the plasma from contacting a second mirror in the gain region. The first and second plasma shunts may comprise electrical conductors located in the respective mirror wells and arranged such that contact between the plasma and the electrical conductors quenches the plasma in the mirror wells and produces electrical currents that travels across the mirror wells. The electrical conductors may be formed as metallized strips arranged to extend across the mirror wells, or they may be formed from metal wires. The plasma shunts may alternatively comprise diversion passages formed in the frame and arranged such that the plasma fills the diversion passages and bypasses the mirrors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventors: Robert Mitchell, Shane Sammon, Carl Bathelt, Jr.