Gordon C Hall

Title: Gordon C. Hall: Inventor of an Automatically Deployable Combiner Mechanism

Introduction

Gordon C. Hall is an inventor based in Fremont, California. His work includes a patented mechanism designed to rapidly deploy and retract a combiner attached to a visored helmet. Hall is associated with Kaiser Aerospace & Electronics Corporation and holds 1 patent.

Latest Patents

Hall’s patent, “Automatically Deployable and Retractable Combiner Mechanism,” describes a device that moves a helmet-mounted combiner between deployed and retracted positions. Its mechanism uses opposing springs: a conventional spring and a shape memory alloy (SMA) spring. Under normal conditions, the conventional spring exerts greater force; when heated, preferably by an electric current, the SMA spring exerts greater force and drives the mechanism’s operation.

The patent also describes alternative approaches, including a solenoid paired with a conventional spring, or an electric motor used with a locking and unlocking mechanism incorporating an SMA spring.

Career Highlights

Hall’s patented work addresses the practical challenge of moving a helmet-mounted combiner quickly and automatically. The design combines spring forces and, in some configurations, electrical actuation to control deployment and retraction.

Collaborations

Hall’s listed coworkers include Jerome T. Carollo and Steven D. Smith. His company affiliation is Kaiser Aerospace & Electronics Corporation.

Conclusion

Gordon C. Hall’s patent presents several approaches to automatically deploying and retracting a helmet-mounted combiner, including a distinctive mechanism that uses a heat-responsive SMA spring.