The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.

USA as Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Donald C Fyler

James F Mueller

Gregory A Kirkos

Stephen L Bellio

Edward Bernardon

Mitchell L Hansberry

Mark Drela

Richard T Martorana

Tommy W Lee

Sean George

Brent Appleby

Jamie M Anderson

William W McFarland, Jr

Robert S Flory

Edward Bergmann

Mark J Condon

Seth Kessler

Steven Jacobson

Simon Mark Spearing

Jonathan Jay Bernstein

Daniel E Whitney

David S Barrett

William P Kelleher

George A Wood

Frank J Siraco

Reinhardt Leon Willig

Lyle J Jenkins

John R Lawson

F Keith Glick

Arthur Ciccolo

Robert D Whiteside

Edward A Van Duyne

Michael G Kelly

Layton G Hale

Jay A Sampson

In one embodiment, an accelerometer includes a suspension frame, a proof mass, and a plurality of flexures suspending the proof mass from the suspension frame. The flexures allow the proof mass to deflect in response to an acceleration along a sensitive axis of the accelerometer. Each flexure exhibits an initial spring rate along the sensitive axis of substantially zero.

Flexure assemblies and methods for manufacturing and using the same

A hysteresis-start permanent magnet rotor having a non-magnetic rotor shaft, a permanent magnet rigidly attached to a center portion of the non-magnetic rotor shaft, a non-magnetic spacer on each side of the permanent magnet, each non-magnetic spacer rigidly attached to the non-magnetic rotor shaft, to form a non-magnetic spacer-permanent magnet-non-magnetic spacer combination, a hysteresis ring on each side of the non-magnetic spacer-permanent magnet-non-magnetic spacer combination, each hysteresis ring being rigidly attached to the non-magnetic rotor shaft. A stator-segment is around each of the hysteresis rings and a stator-segment is around the permanent magnet, each stator-segment separated from a next stator-segment by a non-magnetic spacer.

Hysteresis-start permanent magnet motor

A flyer assembly is adapted for launching with, transit in, and deployment from an artillery shell having a central void region extending along a ballistic shell axis. The flyer assembly includes a jettisonable shroud and a flyer. The shroud extends along a shroud axis, and is positionable within the central void region with the shroud axis substantially parallel to the shell axis. The flyer is adapted to withstand a launch acceleration force along a flyer axis when in a first state, and to effect aerodynamic flight when in a second state. When in the first state, the flyer is positionable within the shroud with the flyer axis parallel to the shroud axis and the shell axis. The flyer includes a body member disposed about the flyer axis, and a foldable wing assembly mounted to the body member. The wing assembly is configurable in a folded state characterized by a plurality of nested wing segments when the flyer is in the first state. The wing assembly is configurable in an unfolded state characterized by a substantially uninterrupted aerodynamic surface when the flyer is in the second state. The flyer assembly is adapted to be launched from a ballistic delivery system such as an artillery cannon, and can thus reach a target quickly, without expending system energy stored within the flyer. During launch, the flyer is coupled to the shroud so as to maintain a portion of the flyer in tension during an acceleration of the flyer along the flyer axis resulting from the launch. The flyer assembly is adapted to withstand the high g-load and high temperature environments of a cannon launch, and can tolerate a set-back g load of about 16,000 g.

Flyer assembly

A segment pickup apparatus for handling material segments. The apparatus includes a frame and at least one pair of picker assemblies coupled to the frame. Each of the picker assemblies includes a linear array of carding elements, and each of the carding elements is resiliently coupled to one of the picker assemblies and is positionable relative to the frame in a resting position and in a picking position. Each of the carding elements includes a base portion and a linear array of substantially parallel, elongated, resilient needle-like elements extending from the base portion to a distal tip. When a carding elements is positioned in the resting position, the distal tips of that carding element lie above a picking plane, and when a carding elements is positioned in the picking position, the distal tips of that carding element lie substantially in the picking plane. The picker assemblies are disposed such that the carding elements are arranged in pairs, and in each pair the needle-like elements of one carding element slant towards a first direction and the needle-like elements of the other carding element slant towards a second direction. The segment pickup apparatus further includes a carding actuator device for positioning pairs of carding elements in the resting position and in the picking position, and also includes a picker actuator device for displacing the picker assemblies relative to the frame in the first direction and in the second direction.

Cut segment pick-up assembly

An extensible composite fabric including a multiplicity of continuous fibers extending in one direction and distorted into aligned, locally parallel, curved paths for imparting extensibility to the fabric in that direction, and a method and apparatus for making such a composite fabric.

Extensible composite fabric and method and apparatus for making it

Method and apparatus for nondestructively removing a cut segment of predetermined shape from a limp material sheet workpiece and transporting the cut workpiece segment to a staging area for further processing. The cut segment is picked up by a picker which may comprise an array of carding strips, each strip having a plurality of needle-like elements, arranged such that each strip can be displaced relative to its adjacent strips and the needle-like elements of each strip are angularly offset with respect to the needle-like elements of the adjacent strips. Such removal and transporting having is accomplished without distorting the shape of the cut segment.

Method and apparatus for automated handling of cut material

A method and apparatus for the automated assembly of sleeves onto the body of the garment. In the present invention, the garment body is placed on a first fixture resembling a mannequin. The sleeves are placed inside facing out on a second conical fixture. Automatically, each sleeve is positioned and sewn onto the garment body and the finished garment is removed from the first fixture. Through the use of sensors, each sleeve is precisely and consistently sewn to the garment body. The result is a high quality garment produced at a lower cost.

Method and apparatus for assembling garments

The invention includes in one form a sewing machine, two trackers (mice) to track the ends of material-to-be-joined, and a controller for controlling stitch formation to achieve precise control of the material position, permitting desired easing (positive or negative). A long table is preferably used with a separation plate so that the two panels-to-be-joined can be laid out flat and separated during sewing. The mice slide in tracks so they will move in a straight line. The mice are adapted so that tension can be maintained and that the mice can be pulled back when the seam is done. Optical encoders are used so that the position of the mice, and thus endpoints of the panels, can accurately be determined. The sewing machine has an attachment that provides differential feed of the two plies in response to the desired and actual position of the stitches.

System for joining limp material segments with easing

A system for locating a corner of an angularly oriented workpiece on a worksurface includes a gripper and associated two axis transport assembly, and a set of sensors on the gripper for detecting reflected radiation from the workpiece and surrounding work. A controller translates the gripper in the directions of two orthogonal axes until the sensors each overlie an edge of the corner-to-be detected. In the preferred form, the transport assembly includes a pneumatic position control system for each axis. Each pneumatic position control system includes an air cylinder and associated piston, a position valve assembly and a controller, and may further include a velocity valve assembly. The controller may control the position valve assembly to be in a first state during a selected time interval, thereby establishing axial motion of the piston in a first direction during that interval. Alternatively, the controller may control the position valve assembly to be in a second state during a selected time interval, thereby establishing axial motion of the piston in a second direction during that interval. The controller may also establish substantially no motion of the piston during a selected interval by alternately controlling the position valve assembly to be in its first state and its second state during the time interval. The velocity valve assembly controls the pneumatic impedance in the coupling path to the cylinder in order to selectively establish desired velocity for piston motion.

Corner alignment system

An automated system for selectively providing a limp material segment, e.g., fabric, to a joining apparatus includes at least one picker actuation mechanism ('PAM') for manipulating and transporting the segment. The PAM has an end effector for picking up the segment and an independently operable clamp for holding the segment while the PAM itself is transported between work stations.

Method and apparatus for manipulating and transporting limp material

A robotic control arm apparatus or control arm for controlling the position of a control point associated with a controlled element within a reference plane and with respect to two reference points in a work space. The control arm assembly includes at least four link members mutually coupled in series to form a closed loop linkage, each of the link members being coupled about a pivot axis at each end. The apparatus may include a set of roller assemblies affixed to the control arm assembly, each roller assembly including a roller element and an endless belt disposed about the roller elements for driving the controlled element.

Control arm assembly

A limp material handling system includes a manipulating apparatus for selectively manipulating one or more layers of limp material on a support table. Folding is accomplished by lifting a curvilinear region of the material, reshaping that lifted region as desired, and lowering that lifted region to a curvilinear region on the support table. A seamed article assembly system incorporates the manipulating apparatus, a seam joining apparatus and a multiple parallel endless belt system for tactile presentation of the limp material to the seam joining apparatus. An optical sensing system provides information representative of the position of the limp material being handled. A programmable computer, or controller, coordinates and controls the operation of the manipulating apparatus, seam joining apparatus, belt assembly, and optical sensing system to provide automatic assembly of seamed articles.

Assembly system for seamed articles

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Needham, MA, United States of America

Donald C Fyler