Patents by Inventor William S. Griffin
William S. Griffin 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).
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Patent number: 6859472Abstract: A system for removing waste energy in the form of sensible heat and fluorescent energy from a solid state laser medium having a broad surface. The system includes a manifold disposed about the laser medium having a plurality of inlet jets interspersed with a plurality of exhaust orifices. Coolant fluid is circulated through the manifold. The fluid is forced through the plurality of inlet jets to impinge the broad face of the laser medium, thereby transferring waste energy by convection from the laser medium to the coolant fluid. The coolant fluid is further circulated to exhaust the pumphead manifold through the plurality of exhaust orifices. The fluorescent energy, which is radiated from the laser medium, is converted to sensible heat by an absorber disposed within the coolant adjacent to the laser medium. The coolant then removes the converted heat by forced convection.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2002Date of Patent: February 22, 2005Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventors: Alexander A. Betin, William S. Griffin
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Publication number: 20040028094Abstract: A system for removing waste energy in the form of sensible heat and fluorescent energy from a solid state laser medium having a broad surface. The system includes a manifold disposed about the laser medium having a plurality of inlet jets interspersed with a plurality of exhaust orifices. Coolant fluid is circulated through the manifold. The fluid is forced through the plurality of inlet jets to impinge the broad face of the laser medium, thereby transferring waste energy by convection from the laser medium to the coolant fluid. The coolant fluid is further circulated to exhaust the pumphead manifold through the plurality of exhaust orifices. The fluorescent energy, which is radiated from the laser medium, is converted to sensible heat by an absorber disposed within the coolant adjacent to the laser medium. The coolant then removes the converted heat by forced convection.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2002Publication date: February 12, 2004Applicant: RAYTHEON COMPANYInventors: Alexander A. Betin, William S. Griffin
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Patent number: 6690696Abstract: A laser cooling apparatus and method. Generally, the inventive apparatus includes a mechanism for transporting sensible thermal energy from a solid state laser and for communicating waste fluorescent radiation therefrom as well. In the illustrative embodiment, the apparatus includes an optically transparent manifold with an inlet port, an exhaust port and a plurality of spray nozzles therebetween adapted to direct a cooling fluid on the laser medium of a laser. In addition, the optically transparent manifold is used to permit waste fluorescent radiation to escape the confines of the laser and cooling system means such that said fluorescent radiation may be optically directed to an external heat sink such as free space.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2002Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventors: Robert W. Byren, William S. Griffin, Alexander A. Betin
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Publication number: 20030231667Abstract: A laser cooling apparatus and method. Generally, the inventive apparatus includes a mechanism for transporting sensible thermal energy from a solid state laser and for communicating waste fluorescent radiation therefrom as well. In the illustrative embodiment, the apparatus includes an optically transparent manifold (10) with an inlet port (12), an exhaust port (19) and a plurality of spray nozzles (16) therebetween adapted to direct a cooling fluid on the laser medium (20) of a laser (30). In addition, the optically transparent manifold (10) is used to permit waste fluorescent radiation to escape the confines of the laser and cooling system means such that said fluorescent radiation may be optically directed to an external heat sink such as free space.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2002Publication date: December 18, 2003Inventors: Robert W. Byren, William S. Griffin, Alexander A. Betin
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Publication number: 20030206350Abstract: A system (200) for effecting low-order aberration correction of a beam of electromagnetic energy. The inventive system (200) includes a first mechanism (220), including at least one articulated optical element (222), for receiving and correcting the beam; a second mechanism (270) for generating a signal indicative of the aberrations to be corrected; and a third mechanism (226), responsive to the second mechanism (270), for adjusting the position of the optical element (222) to generate an output beam that is at least partially compensated with respect to the aberrations. In the preferred embodiment, the first mechanism (220) is a telescope comprising a fixed primary lens or mirror (224) and an articulated secondary lens or mirror (222). The second mechanism (270) includes a wavefront error sensor for detecting aberrations in the received beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2002Publication date: November 6, 2003Inventors: Robert W. Byren, Lacy G. Cook, William S. Griffin
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Patent number: 6138458Abstract: An actuator employing an electromagnetic voice coil actuator in parallel with a pneumatic actuator in a single, integrated unit. Rolling diaphragms on the piston are used to minimize sliding static friction. The pneumatic portion of the actuator provides the high forces necessary to support a heavy load and does not become stiff at high frequencies. At high frequencies (above 15-20 Hz.), where the frequency response of the pneumatic portion of the actuator decreases, the voice coil portion takes over and provides the desired high frequency actuation forces. The voice coil does not require a large amount of electrical power, and air flow in the pneumatic actuator provides sufficient cooling of the voice coil. A servo-valve is also disclosed for use with the pneumatic portion of the electro-pneumatic actuator.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 1998Date of Patent: October 31, 2000Inventor: William S. Griffin
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Patent number: 6097553Abstract: A window structure includes a housing, a window received into the housing, and a mounting support joining the window to the housing. The mounting support has an outer support ring joined to the housing, where the outer support ring has a coefficient of thermal expansion of about that of the housing, and an inner support ring joined to the window, where the inner support ring has a coefficient of thermal expansion of about that of the window. The inner support ring is joined to the outer support ring by a single-segment or multi-segment ring with a gradation in thermal expansion coefficient, but is not radially aligned with the outer support ring. The result is a large reduction in the stresses and strains otherwise imposed on the window.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 1999Date of Patent: August 1, 2000Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventor: William S. Griffin
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Patent number: 5941692Abstract: Disclosed is a tuned resonant oscillating mass pump, and particularly a pump structure and assembly which can be conveniently and readily mounted inside automotive tires for the purposes of maintaining optimum tire pressure and generating of electrical power from the movement of the tuned oscillating mass in such pumps. The oscillating mass can be a pendulum or a freely moving weight or a ball rolling within an arcuate chamber.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1997Date of Patent: August 24, 1999Assignee: Hughes Electronics CorporationInventors: Ross D. Olney, William S. Griffin, Donald K. Murphy
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Patent number: 5934882Abstract: A tuned resonant oscillating mass pump is shown, and particularly a pump structure and assembly which can be conveniently and readily mounted inside automotive tires for the purposes of maintaining optimum tire pressure and generating of electrical power from the movement of the tuned oscillating mass in such pumps. The oscillating mass can be a pendulum or a freely moving weight or a ball rolling within an arcuate chamber.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 1997Date of Patent: August 10, 1999Assignee: Hughes Electronics CorporationInventors: Ross D. Olney, William S. Griffin, Donald K. Murphy
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Patent number: 5707215Abstract: Disclosed is a tuned resonant oscillating mass pump, and particularly a pump structure and assembly which can be conveniently and readily mounted inside automotive tires for the purposes of maintaining optimum tire pressure and generating of electrical power from the movement of the tuned oscillating mass in such pumps. The oscillating mass can be a pendulum or a freely moving weight or a ball rolling within an arcuate chamber.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 1994Date of Patent: January 13, 1998Assignee: Hughes Aircraft CompanyInventors: Ross D. Olney, William S. Griffin, Donald K. Murphy
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Patent number: 5558730Abstract: A self-inflating tire pump is integrally fixed to a wheel of a vehicle for automatically pumping air into an inflation region of a tire which is mounted on the wheel. The pump includes a piston which is movable radially outward in a cylinder by centrifugal force to draw air from the atmosphere into a compression chamber and is movable radially inward by a biasing element to compress the air in the compression chamber and pump it into the inflation region. The biasing element includes a surface of the piston which is exposed to air pressure in the inflation region, and prevents the piston from moving outward until the wheel rotates above a certain speed, thereby preventing contaminants such as water and dirt from entering the compression chamber during low speed operation of the vehicle in adverse terrain. A stopper mechanism prevents the piston from moving when the tire pressure is above a normal value, thereby reducing frictional wear of the pump.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 1995Date of Patent: September 24, 1996Assignee: Hughes Aircraft CompanyInventors: Ross D. Olney, David E. Schnelker, William S. Griffin
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Patent number: 5035836Abstract: A solid lubricated resistive ink includes solid lubricants which provide self-lubrication of the resistive ink under high vacuum and low moisture conditions. The resistive inks include a polymer-based binder and an electrically conductive solid lubricant which remains electrically conductive and lubricative under low moisture and high vacuum. Effective lubricants include MoSe.sub.2, NbSe.sub.2 graphite intercalated with bromine and graphite intercalated with a metal chloride. The resistive ink may additionally include carbon.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 1989Date of Patent: July 30, 1991Assignee: Hughes Aircraft CompanyInventors: Michael N. Gardos, Larry C. Lipp, William S. Griffin
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Patent number: 4795123Abstract: The damping of vibrations in a mechanical structure is accomplished while minimizing the impact on the design and operation of the structure through the use of a plurality of attachable vibration damping elements. Each vibration damping element contains: an accelerometer, an integrator, mixer, power amplifier, and a force actuator. The accelerometer measures the motion of the vibration in the structure at its attachment point and produces an acceleration measurement signal. The integrator integrates the acceleration measurement signal to produce a velocity measurement signal. The mixer produces a composite motion signal by mixing the acceleration measurement signal with the velocity measurement signal. The power amplifier adjusts the phase and amplitude of the composite motion signal to drive the force actuator to damp the sensed vibration along one dimension at the attachment point of the force actuator.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 1987Date of Patent: January 3, 1989Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air ForceInventors: Robert L. Forward, William S. Griffin
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Patent number: 4662727Abstract: The present invention provides a two-axis optical inertial reference system wherein the rotor (12) of a gyro (10) is utilized as a stable reference. A surface (19) of the rotor is made reflective. Sighting on the reference is provided through a window (18) in the gyro case, (16) to access rotor reflective surface (19) the gyro case being hard mounted to a moving surface in the coarse gimbal of the system, since the gyro rotor has a finite angle of travel with respect to the case. A stabilized inertial platform (gyro rotor (12)) is achieved without the need of intermediate servoed gimbals. The gyro torquers are used to precess the rotor's spin axis to provide a means for slewing the spin axis and, hence, the optical system's line-of-sight (60) to the desired direction of the optical system. Specific embodiments for obtaining the required reference beam are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 1983Date of Patent: May 5, 1987Assignee: Hughes Aircraft CompanyInventor: William S. Griffin