Patents by Inventor Terence McLoughlin

Terence McLoughlin 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: 11555679
    Abstract: Controlling an in-flight spin-rate of a spin-stabilized guided projectile is disclosed. In various embodiments, the projectile includes a despun control portion configured for despinning relative to a projectile chassis and for directional control of the projectile. In various embodiments, controlling the in-flight spin-rate includes determining a gyroscopic stability factor for the guided projectile using the in-flight spin rate and a forward velocity of the guided projectile, determining that the gyroscopic stability factor exceeds a stability threshold, and spin-braking the guided projectile, in response to determining that the gyroscopic stability factor exceeds a threshold value, by braking rotation of the despun control portion by which the gyroscopic stability factor of the guided projectile is reduced to a second gyroscopic stability factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Terence McLoughlin, Michael Wilson, Warren S. Jensen