Techno-sciences, Inc. (corporation)

University of Michigan

Christopher Lavigna

Diann Brei

Jonathan E Luntz

Gilmer Blankenship

Anupam Pathak

Harry Kwatny

In a self-contained actively-controlled stabilization system within a hand-grip, all components are contained within the handgrip, and one generic handgrip can be attached to a variety of devices for a wide range of applications, thereby increasing portability, reducing weight and bulkiness, and decreasing complexity and application dependence. The handgrip includes a sensor, a controller and an actuator which preferably employs at least one shape memory alloy wire. The actuator drives a platform mechanism which may be configured such that the elevation and azimuth degrees of freedom are coupled or uncoupled. Direct, rotational and other platform mechanisms may be used with the invention.

Stabilizing hand grip system

The present invention pertains to a device for precision aim control of a gun barrel muzzle of a turreted gun system for improved projectile accuracy of fired projectiles. Improved projectile accuracy is defined as minimizing the distance between a projectile's point of impact and the point of aim thereof. The invention includes an actuator assembly mounted to a flexible gun barrel that act in combination with elevation and azimuth actuators located in the gun's turret. The device also includes a muzzle sensory feedback subsystem for continuous sensing of the gun muzzle's i) displacement, ii) azimuth and iii) elevation angles as the gun is fired. The barrel mounted actuator assembly along with the muzzle sensory feedback subsystem significantly improves the muzzle's aim performance. The invention comprises several components that include: i) one or more barrel mounted actuator assemblies that has one or more longitudinal mounted barrel actuator element(s) for applying bending torques to a gun barrel; ii) a muzzle sensory feedback subsystem for continuous measuring of linear and/or angular displacement of a gun muzzle; iii) a turret mounted actuator for providing torques and/or forces to aim the gun muzzle; iv) a turret mounted sensor system to measure the azimuth and elevation angles generated by the turret mounted actuator subsystem; and v) a feedback control system for processing commands from input and feedback signals from turret mounted sensors and muzzle sensors and producing output commands to the barrel actuator assembly and the gun turret aim actuators.

Gun muzzle control system using barrel mounted actuator assembly

Growing community of inventors

Olney, MD, United States of America

Christopher Lavigna