Honeywell International Inc.

Honeywell G.m.b.h.

Zenith Electronics Corporation

Andrew W Kaliszek

Glen Aaron Sanders

Clarence E Laskoskie

Lee Kevin Strandjord

Bogdan Szafraniec

Charles H Lange

Carl Campisi

Jerry L Page

Rudolf C Dankwort

Matthew A Olson

Edward Summers

Daniel L Sugarbaker

Elmer M Klein

Tiequn Qiu

John R Feth

Stanislaw Kopacz

John H Shannon

Richard G Schmid

Derek Mead

Wesley H Williams

Thien Dang

William R Schulzetenberg

Brian P Timmons

Thomas J Bradfish

John Feth

A hollow-core optical-fiber filter is provided. The hollow-core optical-fiber filter includes a hollow-core optical fiber having a first end-face and an opposing second end-face. The first end-face and the second end-face set a fiber length. The hollow-core optical-fiber filter also includes a first reflective end-cap positioned at the first end-face and a second reflective end-cap positioned at the second end-face. When an optical beam from a laser is coupled into one of the first end-face or the second end-face, an optical output from the opposing end-face has a narrow linewidth and low frequency noise fluctuations.

High performance hollow-core optical-fiber filter for optical rotation sensing

An optical coupling device for connecting hollow core optical fiber coils in a fiber optic gyro system. An example fiber optic gyro system includes a recirculator or an integrated optics chip, a fiber coil of hollow core optical fiber with first and second ends, and a coupling device that holds an end of the hollow core optical fiber in an enclosed cavity at some predefined distance from the recirculator or integrated optics chip. The coupling device includes a housing for rigidly holding the fiber end in position. The housing includes a cavity that receives the fiber end.

Reliable low loss hollow core fiber resonator

A method of constructing a fiber-optic gyroscope includes optically coupling first and second optical fibers to an optical path of an interferometer having an outer surface, coupling at least a portion of the first and second fibers to the outer surface, and optically coupling the first and second fibers to an optical path of an integrated optics chip (IOC).

Bifilar optical fiber stowage for fiber-optic gyroscope

A sensing coil is provided for optically guiding counter-propagating light beams in a fiber optic gyroscope. The sensing coil comprises a plurality of layers of an optical fiber having a winding direction. The plurality of layers comprises inner layers, middle layers, and outer layers. The middle layers comprise first and second input ends configured to receive the counter-propagating light beams. At least one of the inner layers, middle layers, and outer layers is coupled with a different one of the inner layers, middle layers, and outer layers while maintaining the winding direction. A method is provided for winding an optical fiber, having first and second connecting ends, to form a sensing coil for a fiber optic gyroscope having a winding direction. The method comprises excluding first and second segments from a middle layer of the sensing coil to produce first and second inputs and third and fourth connecting ends respectively adjacent to the first and second inputs, and coupling each of the connecting ends with a different one of the connecting ends while maintaining the winding direction.

Method for winding sensing coils and sensing coil for fiber optic gyroscopes

Adhesive system and method are provided for affixing a fiber optic coil to a hub with an adhesive in a fiber optic gyroscope. The adhesive system comprises a fiber optic coil, a substantially cylindrical hub configured to couple with the fiber optic coil, and an array of adhesive dots affixing the fiber optic coil to the substantially cylindrical hub. The method comprises forming an array of adhesive dots on an outer surface of the hub, and affixing the fiber optic coil to the outer surface of the hub via the array of adhesive dots.

Adhesive system and method for forming a fiber optic gyroscope sensing coil

A fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) including a depolarizer having substantially equal first and second fiber segments of polarization maintaining (PM) fiber coupled to a single mode (SM) fiber loop. The first PM fiber segment includes sections of fiber connected together via a splice having an angle from about 35&deg; to 55&deg; between major axes of polarization of the sections which it connects. Similarly, the second PM fiber segment includes sections of fiber connected together via a splice having an angle from about 35&deg; to 55&deg; between major axes of polarization of the sections which it connects. The length of each fiber section is chosen to maintain the thermal and mechanical symmetry of the SM fiber loop.

Symmetrical depolarized fiber optic gyroscope

An adhesive system for use in minimizing the negative environmental influences on a fiber optic gyroscope comprises a free-standing substantially cylindrical sensing coil having an inner coil surface, a rigid substantially cylindrical coil-supporting structure or hub having a cylindrical wall and an outer surface, a plurality of grooves formed into the hub's outer surface, a plurality of slots formed into the outer surface of hub and an adhesive affixing hub to coil . Adhesive may be injected into manifolds located in the cylindrical wall of hub , travel through the slots into a gap existing between coil and hub . Excess adhesive may flow into grooves . Different orientations and sizes of grooves and slots , different types and amounts of adhesive , and different thicknesses of adhesive between the coil and hub may be used to achieve suitable adhesion. The adhesive system may further include a stress buffer and an additional adhesive to further minimize environmental influences on coil . Specifically, a first adhesive affixes the inner surface of buffer to the outer surface of hub . A second adhesive affixes the outer surface of buffer to the inner surface of coil

Adhesive system for a fiber optic gyroscope sensing coil

A rectification error reducer for a fiber optic gyroscope, which is an intensity servo or compensator for reducing vibration effects in the optical signals caused by modulation at vibration frequencies induced by the gyroscope-operating environment. The vibration effects may be detected in signals from the photodiode output in amplitude form, which is used in a control system to null out optical intensity variations at the frequencies of vibration.

Ruggedized structure for fiber optic gyroscope

A design for an environmentally robust fiber depolarizer for a fiber optic gyroscope is disclosed. The design comprises; substantially a clockwise propagating leg and a counterclockwise propagating leg, distally coupled at opposite ends of a gyroscope sensing coil, said depolarizer fiber leg wound in a that is rotation insensitive pattern and that is also a symmetrical winding pattern. Moreover, axial, radial and embedded sensing coil mounting methods for the fiber depolarizer to reduce the depolarizer sensitivity to thermal variations are also disclosed. Specific attention to the design of the fiber depolarizer of a gyroscope provides enhanced immunity to the stress of environmental variation.

Low drift depolarizer for fiber optic gyroscope having legs wound in a winding pattern

A fiber optic gyroscope that includes an improved winding transition section otherwise known as a 'jog zone'. The improved jog zone reduces losses due to micro-bends and cross-coupling in the fiber optic coil. The reduced losses enable a more accurate measurement of rotation rate of the fiber optic coil, while minimizing unwanted phase-shifts that can cause false readings in the fiber optic gyroscope.

Job zone for a high performance navigation grade rate sensing coil

A rectification error reducer for a fiber optic gyroscope, which is an intensity servo or compensator for reducing vibration effects in the optical signals caused by modulation at vibration frequencies induced by the gyroscope operating environment. The vibration effects may be detected in signals from the photodiode output in amplitude form which is used in a control system to null out optical intensity variations at the frequencies of vibration.

Vibration error reduction servo for a fiber optic gyroscope

Fiber optic gyroscope vibration error compensator

An electronic component lead or tab crimping apparatus adapted for use with a conveyor system in the assembly of printed circuit (PC) boards includes an upper assembly having an upper interchangeable plate and a lower actuator plate and further includes a pneumatically actuated lower assembly. The interchangeable plate includes a plurality of spaced apertures within each of which is disposed a lead/tab engaging, crimping element. The upper assembly is initially displaced upward by the pneumatically actuated lower assembly to a position in close proximity to and in alignment with the lower surface of a PC board such that each of the crimping elements is disposed in close proximity to a lead, or leads (or tabs), of an electronic component positioned on the PC board. The lower assembly then displaces the actuator plate upward by cam action such that the actuator plate simultaneously engages and pivotally displaces the crimping elements resulting in crimping of the electronic component leads or tabs. The actuator plate of the upper assembly is then lowered by the lower assembly allowing for disengagement of the leads/tabs by the crimping elements, followed by further lowering of the upper assembly by the lower assembly to permit the PC board with crimped leads/tabs to be displaced by the conveyor system and another PC board to be moved in position for lead/tab crimping.

Lead crimping apparatus

A pneumatically actuated, electrically controlled electronic component handling apparatus straightens out the leads of an electronic component, positions and orients the component for engagement by an automatic gripper device, and determines the exact orientation of the component for subsequent testing, assembly or insertion of the component in circuit. As a component exits a vibrating delivery chute, a first pneumatic cylinder places a component stop in position to prevent the exit of additional components from the chute. With the discharged component engaged from above by a second pneumatic cylinder actuated pusher, a third pneumatic cylinder raises a component carriage in engagement with a lower portion of the component. The carriage includes a pair of elongated slots therein having enlarged openings for receiving and straightening a respective component lead inserted therein. A fourth pneumatic cylinder then laterally displaces the carriage to a pick-up point where the component is engaged and removed from the carriage by a robotic gripper. Before removal, an optical senser directs a light beam upon the marked component to determine its relative orientation with respect to the gripper to ensure proper subsequent manipulation of the component. Various optical and electrical sensors are employed to control the sequence of pneumatic operations in the component handling apparatus.

Growing community of inventors

Phoenix, AZ, United States of America

Andrew W Kaliszek