Ensign-bickford Aerospace & Defense Company

Itt Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.

The Ensign-bickford Company

Craig Boucher

Paul Neil Marshall

David B Novotney

Geoff Kaczynski

James E Fritz

Thomas C Tseka

John A Graham

Daniel A Toro

Bernardo Martinez-Tovar

Steven L Renfro

Scott D Crespi

Andrew M Kochanek

Kurt Nelson

Scot P Riley

Charles A Dieman, Jr

Jarrett Jacobson

John Fiske

Matthew Bragoni

Edris Raji

John Benner

Michael Ronzello

Paul N Marshall

A system that is mountable to an unmanned vehicle and a method of operation is provided. The system includes an attachment plate configured to couple to the unmanned vehicle, the attachment plate having a first feature. A control module is configured to removably couple to the attachment plate, the control module having one or more processors and a power source, the control module having a pin arranged to move from a first position to a second position when the control module is coupled to the attachment plate, the one or more processors being energized when the pin is moved from the first position to the second position. A payload having an energetic element is provided, the payload being coupled to the control module.

Payload platform for unmanned vehicles

Networked initiation systems for hold-down and release mechanisms (HDRMs) are described. The systems include a control unit, a plurality of firing control units operably connected to and in communication with the control unit, wherein each firing control unit has at least one HDRM operably connected thereto, and wherein each firing control unit is individually addressable by the control unit over an interface bus to enable selective operation of the HDRMs operably connected to the firing control units.

Multipoint payload release system

One aspect of the present disclosure involves a networked initiation system having one or more non-energetic hold-down and release mechanisms ('HDRMs'), a control unit and an interface bus connected between all of the HDRMs and the control unit. Other aspects of the present disclosure involve networked initiation systems having one or more of each of non-energetic HDRMs, energetic HDRMs and other (generic) energetic devices. The systems also include a control unit and an interface bus connected between all of the HDRMs and/or energetic devices and the control unit. The system may be used on a spacecraft for holding various elements in place on the spacecraft during launch, and then activating the HDRMs and/or energetic devices at selected points in time after launch to release the elements for movement, e.g., into orbit or beyond.

Spacecraft device initiation system

One aspect of the present invention involves a hold-down and release mechanism ('HDRM') that includes a hold-then-release mechanism configured to hold an element until the hold-then-release mechanism is commanded to release the element; and an integral sensor configured to sense an amount of a parameter of interest associated with the HDRM and to communicate the sensed amount of the parameter of interest to a receiving device. The parameter of interest comprises one of tensile preload, temperature, vibration, shock, and time from application of an HDRM firing current to HDRM release of the element.

Hold down release mechanism with integral sensing

A semiconductor bridge die may have an 'H-design' or 'trapezoidal' configuration in which a center bridge segment is flanked by one or more angled walls on each side of the bridge segment. Each wall is plated with a conductive material, thereby providing a continuous conductive path across the top surface of the die. A bottom surface of the die may be connected to a top surface of a header by epoxy in various configurations. The plated angled walls facilitate the solderable connection of the walls to a plated top surface of each of several pins on a top surface of the header, thereby providing a continuous electrical connection between the pins and the die. Also, a method is provided for manufacturing a semiconductor bridge die in accordance with the various embodiments of the die.

Surface mountable semiconductor bridge die

A night vision system comprising a power system having a low voltage unit coupled to a high voltage unit; the low voltage unit including a low voltage controller generating a pulse width code; the high voltage unit including an opto-isolator for receiving the pulse width code from the low voltage controller, a high voltage controller operative in response to the pulse width code to generate an output pulse, a pulse shaping module receiving the output pulse and generating a control pulse; and power electronics operative in response to the control pulse.

Method and system for controlling pulse width in a night vision system power system

A night vision system comprising a power system having a low voltage unit coupled to a high voltage unit. The low voltage unit includes a low voltage controller and a low voltage table correlating step values to pulse widths, the low voltage controller obtaining a desired pulse width and accessing the table to obtain a step value. The low voltage unit transmits the step value to the high voltage unit using a pulse count modulation format. The high voltage unit includes an opto-isolator for receiving the step value from the low voltage controller and a high voltage controller demodulating the step value. In response to the step value, the high voltage controller accesses a high voltage table correlating step values to pulse width to obtain a pulse width, the high voltage controller generating a control pulse in response to the pulse width.

Method and system for implementing power reduction algorithms in a night vision system power system

A night vision system including a power system having a low voltage unit coupled to a high voltage unit. The low voltage unit includes a low voltage controller and a low voltage table correlating step values to pulse widths, the low voltage controller obtaining a desired pulse width and accessing the table to obtain a step value. The high voltage unit including an opto-isolator for receiving the step value from the low voltage controller, a high voltage controller response to the step value accessing a high voltage table correlating step values to pulse width to obtain a pulse width, the high voltage controller generating a control pulse in response to the pulse width.

Method and system for communicating pulse width in a night vision system power system

An ordnance system of the present invention may include or feature any one or more of: a control unit, one or more effectors (detonators, initiators, shaped charges and the like), and a two-, three- or four-wire communication bus between the control unit and the effectors; an addressable system in which all the effectors can be connected to the same communication bus and the control unit can issue coded signals on the bus addressed to a specific effector; inductive coupling between the effectors and the communication bus; and a multi-voltage level communication system in which communication signals are carried at a first voltage and arming signals are provided at a second, higher voltage. Other features may include two-way communication between effectors and the control unit and the de-centralization of firing control so that the control unit does not have exclusive control over whether the effectors function. As a result, the individual effectors possess decision-making ability and, for purposes of this invention, may be referred to as 'intelligent' effectors. To participate in the decision-making process, effectors of this invention may be equipped with sensors or other diagnostic circuitry whose condition is checked for satisfactory output before functioning is permitted to occur.

Ordinance firing system for land vehicle

A night vision system including a power system having a low voltage unit coupled to a high voltage unit. The low voltage unit includes a low voltage controller and a low voltage table correlating pulse widths to step values. The low voltage unit transmits the step value to the high voltage unit in a pulse train having a period corresponding to a frequency. The high voltage unit including an opto-isolator for receiving the step value from the low voltage controller, a high voltage controller accessing a high voltage table correlating step value to pulse width and threshold. The high voltage controller generates control pulses at the frequency in response to the pulse width and the threshold.

Method and system for modulating frequency in a night vision system power system

Ordnance firing system

An ordnance system of the present invention may include or feature any one or more of: a control unit, one or more effectors (detonators, initiators, shaped charges and the like), and a two-, three- or four-wire communication bus between the control unit and the effectors; an addressable system in which all the effectors can be connected to the same communication bus and the control unit can issue coded signals on the bus addressed to a specific effector; inductive coupling between the effectors and the communication bus; and a multi-voltage level communication system in which communication signals are carried at a first voltage and arming signals are provided at a second, higher voltage. Other features may include two-way communication between effectors and the control unit and the de-centralization of firing control so that the control unit does not have exclusive control over whether the effectors function. As a result, the individual effectors possess decision-making ability and, for purposes of this invention, may be referred to as &ldquo;intelligent&rdquo; effectors. To participate in the decision-making process, effectors of this invention may be equipped with sensors or other diagnostic circuitry whose condition is checked for satisfactory output before functioning is permitted to occur.

A well pipe perforating gun (10) is improved by the utilization of a pulverable support structure (14) to hold the explosive shaped charges (18a, 18b, etc.) and the fireset (20). When the gun (10) is fired, the support structure (14) disintegrates substantially into fragments too small to obstruct the flow of oil or natural gas from a surrounding earth formation into or through the well pipe (12) within which the gun is disposed. Optionally, the support structure (14) is assembled from a number of segments (14a, 14b, etc.) linked together in sequential fashion.

Well pipe perforating gun

An electronic safe/arm device is powered internally by a low-voltage, periodic power source that has insufficient voltage by itself to fire the detonator. The circuit therefore includes a step-up transformer from which sufficient voltage to fire the detonator is obtained. The step-up transformer charges an arming circuit which stores high-voltage power to fire the detonator and also powers the firing circuit which discharges the stored high-voltage energy through the detonator at the appropriate time, to fire the device. The low-voltage, periodic power source may include a low-voltage battery and a dynamic switch for providing periodic pulses of low-voltage energy to the primary winding of the transformer, and the dynamic switch may be powered from the output of the transformer, so that the low-voltage battery has insufficient voltage to power the dynamic switch. Accordingly, high-voltage energy derived from the output of the transformer is required to operate the circuit, providing assurance that the device will not fire if the circuit is damaged.

Growing community of inventors

Simsbury, CT, United States of America

Craig Boucher