Raytheon Company

Christopher P Owan

Charles M De Lair

Shane P Stilson

Donald E Croft

Wayne Lee Sunne

Gary H Johnson

Alfred Sorvino

Ralph H Klestadt

Charles M DeLair

Matthew B Castor

Derek L Budisalich

William M Hatalsky

Russell B Cline

Jason M Bain

Jeffrey P Sowers

Robert D Stratton

Laurence F Prudic

Eero H Ala

Matthew P Francis

Charles M Delair

R Brian Cline

An attitude control system includes one or more control moment gyro pairs, with gyros of individual of the pairs being counter-rotated to rotate the rotation axes of flywheels of the gyros of a gyro pair in opposite direction. The flywheels of a gyro pair may be in paddle configuration, with the rotation axes of the flywheels rotating in the counter-rotation through separate planes as the gyros are rotated. The rotation of the gyros of a gyro pair may be accomplished by coupling both of the gyros to a servo motor with suitable coupling gears, or by using independent servos for each gyro. The counter-rotation of gyros of an individual pair produces a resultant torque about a fixed global axis, such as the axis of a flight vehicle of which the attitude control system is a part. Further control may be accomplished for example by varying rotation speeds of the flywheels.

Gyroscopic attitude control system

The disclosed system, device and method for deploying a sub-module from a carrier vehicle generally includes: a sub-module projectile () housed within a carrier vehicle; a rolling diaphragm () sealed between a first pressure chamber volume () and a second sub-module containment volume (e.g., substantially formed on the opposing side of rolling diaphragmrelative to pressure chamber); and a release mechanism (), wherein the sub-module projectile () is secured until releasable deployment from the carrier vehicle. Disclosed features and specifications may be variously controlled, adapted or otherwise optionally modified to improve ejection, deployment and/or dispersal of a variety of sub-modules from a variety of carrier modules. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention generally provide for the ejection and dispersal of kinetic energy rod warheads from a kill-vehicle.

Lightweight deployment system and method

The disclosed gear bearing systems generally include first and second gear bearings having gear teeth, wherein the gear bearings are coupled together axially and the alignment and position of the gear bearings may be set substantially independently of the alignment and position of their gear teeth.

Implicitly timed gear bearings

A stator assembly is provided for a multi-phase motor. The stator assembly includes a stator with a plurality of teeth and a plurality of slots defined between the teeth. In addition, the stator assembly includes a plurality of windings representing respective phases of the multi-phase motor. The windings are wound within the slots and around the teeth to define respective magnetic poles. Further, each slot includes no more than a single turn or small number of turns of any given one of the plurality of windings.

Maximum conductor motor and method of making same

A dynamic load fixture (DLF) applies a torsion load to a unit under test (UUT) to achieve the demanding aerodynamic load exposures encountered by a control actuation system (CAS) in flight. Instead of fixing the end of the torsion bar, the DLF controls the application of torque to the torsion bar, hence the UUT via a DLF motor. The dynamic load can be independent of the angular rotation of the UUT, which allows the DLF to more effectively reproduce desired acceptance tests such as torque-at-rate and nonlinear loads. Furthermore, application of the loads through a torsion bar allows the system the compliance needed to generate precise loads while allowing for the flexibility of changing torsion bars to test a wide variety of UUT on one test platform. To achieve the demanding aerodynamic load exposures encountered by a CAS in flight, the controller must be able to respond both very fast and very precisely. Control is enhanced by the thorough characterization of the DLF and application of either 'classic' negative feedback control or 'modern' state-space control methods of linear observers and quadratic optimum control.

Dynamic load fixture for application of torsion loads for rotary mechanical systems

A dynamic load fixture (DLF) for testing a unit under test (UUT) includes a lateral load system that applies a time-varying lateral load profile to the UUT drive shaft and an encoder that measures its angular rotation. An isolation stage suitably constrains the encoder from rotating about the axis while allowing it to move in other directions in which the application of the lateral force induces motion. The lateral load system includes a load bearing around the drive shaft, an actuator that applies a lateral force to the load bearing, a force sensor for measuring the applied lateral force, and a lateral controller for adjusting a command signal to the actuator to implement a lateral load profile. The DLF may also include a torsion load system that applies a time-varying torsion load profile to the drive shaft.

Dynamic load fixture for rotary mechanical systems

A system and method for controlling roll in a projectile. The novel system () includes first () and second () sections adapted to counter-rotate relative to each other and a mechanism () for inducing the counter-rotation to generate a roll torque on the projectile (). In the preferred embodiment, the mechanism () is a motor comprised of a rotor () affixed to the first section (), and the second section () which acts as a stator that rotates around the rotor () when a current is applied to the armature. In an alternative embodiment, the second section () is turned by a motor () attached to the first section () which drives a small gear engaging a full-diameter ring gear () on the second section (). In the illustrative examples, the first () and second () sections are a missile forebody and a tail section of the projectile.

Single actuator direct drive roll control

Accordingly, a shaft assembly for coupling a control fin to a missile includes outer and inner shaft portions which are detachably coupled together, allowing removal of one of the shaft portions while the other shaft portion remains in the missile. In an exemplary embodiment, the inner shaft portion, to which the control fin is coupled, is removable. The shaft assembly includes a pair of preload nuts to adjust the position of the control fin relative to the skin of the missile, the preload nuts being for example engaged on opposite threaded ends of the outer shaft portion.

Output shaft assembly for a missile control actuation unit

An in-line multi-plug self-aligning electrical connector assembly includes a receptacle, and a pair of connectors that matingly engage the receptacle. The receptacle has an alignment feature on a mating face of an end of the receptacle which mates with mates with the connectors. In an exemplary embodiment, the alignment feature is a wedge-shaped protrusion which corresponds in cross-sectional shape to one of the connectors. The receptacle may be cylindrical, and the connectors may be complimentary such that when engaging the receptacle they together form a cylindrical shape. The connectors may be coupled to different components. In an exemplary embodiment one of the connectors is electrically connected to a motor of a missile fin actuator and the other of the connectors is electrically connected to a potentiometer of the actuator.

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Christopher P Owan