Patents by Inventor Wayne Reinke

Wayne Reinke 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).

  • Ball joint gimbal system
    Patent number: 6396233
    Abstract: A ball joint gimbal system which provides for a precise line-of-sight stabilization of a gimballed mirror that rides on a ball and its associated support structure. The mirror is positioned by four braided lines. The brained lines are driven by four servo motor with each servo motor being coupled to one of four capstan shafts. Each of the braided lines is wound around one of the four capstan shafts. The braided lines are positioned by optical shaft encoders. The low inertia of the gimballed mirror and the positioning of the mirror by the braided lines result in an extremely accurate and fast scanning optical pointing system. Inertial gimbal stabilization of the line of sight to a target is by a stabilization algorithm utilizing body rate information from body sensors which are components of the missile for providing autopilot and navigation functions for the missile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Donald Christison, Donald G. Quist, William S. Wight, Carl M. Zorzi, Randy Coleman, Eric Frisbee, Wayne Reinke, Brian Wolfe
  • Ball joint gimbal system
    Publication number: 20020043949
    Abstract: A ball joint gimbal system which provides for a precise line-of-sight stabilization of a gimballed mirror that rides on a ball and its associated support structure. The mirror is positioned by four braided lines. The brained lines are driven by four servo motor with each servo motor being coupled to one of four capstan shafts. Each of the braided lines is wound around one of the four capstan shafts. The braided lines are positioned by optical shaft encoders. The low inertia of the gimballed mirror and the positioning of the mirror by the braided lines result in an extremely accurate and fast scanning optical pointing system. Inertial gimbal stabilization of the line of sight to a target is by a stabilization algorithm utilizing body rate information from body sensors which are components of the missile for providing autopilot and navigation functions for the missile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Inventors: Donald Christison, Donald G. Quist, William S. Wight, Carl M. Zorzi, Randy Coleman, Eric Frisbee, Wayne Reinke, Brian Wolfe