West Virginia University

Other

Neotech Industries, Inc.

Gregory J Thompson

James Earl Smith

Roy S Nutter

Zenovy S Wowczuk

Gerald M Angle, Ii

James Paul McCarthy

Paul LaMarche

Paul E LaMarche

Victor Golani

A roll-on/roll-off, aircraft-borne sensor pod deployment system having an operator station and a sensor pallet system and method of using same. The operator station has a base platform, a shelter box mounted on the base platform for accommodating a human operator, and a computer installed inside the shelter box. The sensor pallet system has a base platform, a linear system mounted on the base platform, a rotational system mounted on the linear system, a mechanical arm attached to the rotational system, a sensor pod attached to the mechanical arm, and an electrical control system that provides power to the deployment system and controls movements of the sensor pallet system. In operation, the sensor pod can be retracted into a compact, stowing position, or extended out an opening in the aircraft for an unobstructed field of view. The deployment system optionally includes an apparatus and method for sealing the aircraft opening.

Aerial sensor pod deployment system

An assembly of interconnected containers includes a plurality of containers each of which has an upper portion connected to a lower portion by a hinge or hinges with the upper portion having a pair of elongated generally parallel upwardly open channels. The container also has a pair of generally parallel generally downwardly projecting flanges structured to engage an upwardly open channel of an adjacent container and adjacent containers have either at least one of the channels engaged by a flange of an adjacent container or at least one of its flanges engaged in a channel of an adjacent container or both. The channels are preferably open having at least one end so as to permit relative sliding removal and insertion of the containers from and into the assembly. In another embodiment, a rail and flange structure is provided to interengage adjacent containers within an assembly. A container can also be provided that has a lid portion hingably attached to the upper portion of the container. This &ldquo;split&rdquo; clamshell embodiment permits articles to be removed from the container without removal of the container from the assembly of interconnected containers. The containers may be transparent and molded as a unit with integrally formed hinges. Support structures may be provided within the container to support one or more articles disposed therein. Individual containers for use in such an assembly are disclosed.

Assembly of interconnected containers and containers for use therein

A hockey puck has a generally cylindrical body having an upper face, a lower face and a circumferential wall with a generally spherical puck element secured centrally within the body and being rotatable with respect to the puck body. In a preferred embodiment, the generally spherical puck element has a weight greater than that of the body and a diameter greater than the distance between the upper face and lower face. The generally spherical puck element is secured within an inner member which in turn has a ring disposed radially outwardly thereof and secured to the inner member. The puck is structurally designed to have the generally spherical puck element have translational and rotational kinetic energy while the body will have translational or translational and rotational kinetic energy. This results an enhanced ability to maintain the puck on the desired path despite roughness of the surface on which it is moving or certain types of impact with other objects.

Hockey puck with centrally disposed spherical element

Growing community of inventors

Morgantown, WV, United States of America

Gregory J Thompson