Alliedsignal Inc.

Allied Corporation

Herbert T Califano

William C Albert

Walter V Werner

Joseph P Pierry

Beth A Buzzio

Eugenia M Viera

Gotthard K Spindler

Leo Horowitz

James M Schuchardt

Eric E Hubner

Arlene C Isea

Christine M Flaherty

A monolithic resonator for a vibrating beam device, either an accelerometer or a pressure transducer, includes an outer structure and an inner structure. The outer structure includes a mounting structure, a proof mass or pressure transfer structure and a plurality of flexure beams parallel for the accelerometer and perpendicular for the pressure transducer, extending between the mounting and either proof mass or pressure transfer structure. The inner structure is connected to the outer structure and contains isolator masses, isolator beams and a vibrating beam. The outer structure has a thickness greater than the intermediate thickness of the isolator masses which is in turn thicker than the inner structure thickness of the isolator beams and vibrating beam. The intermediate thickness is independently selected to achieve the ideal mass requirements of the vibration isolation mechanism.

Monolithic resonator for vibrating beam force sensors

A vibrating beam accelerometer contains an inner structure having a vibrating beam extending between a pair of isolator masses which are connected via isolator beams to a pair of structures, an outer structure having flexure beams extending between a mount structure and a proof mass structure and a peripheral seal structure surrounding said inner structure and said outer structure. Seal plates containing a ring of glass frit material sandwich the above assembly. An electrode pattern termination extends from the above assembly, through the ring of glass frit material, to electronic circuitry containing an oscillator.

Vibrating beam accelerometer

An inertial measurement instrument including a gyroscope and accelerometer utilizes fiber optics to measure gyro rates and accelerations in two orthogonal axes. Bender beam fiber optic transducers are mounted on a rotating shaft and signals representative of force effects on the bending beams are provided at the rotor in an optical format. The signals are then optically transmitted to the stator thereby eliminating the need for slip rings and the like.

Fiber-optic gyroscope accelerometer

An inertial measurement instrument including an accelerometer utilizes fiber optics to measure accelerations in two orthogonal axes. Bender beam fiber optic transducers are mounted on a rotating shaft and signals representative of force effects on the bending beams are provided at the rotor in an optical format. The signals are then optically transmitted to the stator thereby eliminating the need for slip rings and the like.

Fiber-optic bender beam interferometer accelerometer

An inertial measurement instrument including a gyroscope utilizes fiber optics to measure gyro rates in two orthogonal axes. Bender beam fiber optic transducers are mounted on a rotating shaft and signals representative of force effects on the bending beams are provided at the rotor in an optical format. The signals are then optically transmitted to the stator thereby eliminating the need for slip rings and the like.

Fiber-optic bender beam interferometer rate sensor

A fiber optic coupler (15) is constructed by inserting optical fibers (11, 12) into a glass tube (23). Glass frit is placed in the glass tube (23) to fill-in the space between the optical fibers (11, 12) and the glass tube (21). The tube (23) is heated at a center portion (21), which fuses the glass frit and thereby strengthens the fiber optic coupler (15) at its critical cross-section. The coupler has high efficiency and structural stability, both of which are advantageous when used with fiber optic gyroscopes.

Fiber optic coupler using frit

A splice joint is effected between single mode polarization maintaining (SMPM) fibers (31, 32) in a manner so as to maintain polarization of light transmitted through the splice. Mating ends (57, 58) of the respective fibers (31, 32) are aligned and joined with ultraviolet curing epoxy (61). After the ultraviolet curing epoxy (61) is cured, five-minute epoxy (63) is applied over the joint so as to effect mechanical rigidity of the joint. In one arrangement, the five-minute epoxy is reinforced with a sleeve (55). Advantages include the ability to simplify splicing of SMPM fibers, while maintaining polarization characteristics of the fibers.

Optically aligned splice for optical fibers

A guided projectile (11) is provided with a gyroscope (29) having a spherical rotor (41). The rotor (41) is supported at its outer spherical surface by a stator (42) using fluid bearing techniques. The stator (42) is fixed to the projectile's housing (38) so that the gyroscope (29) is operated in a strapdown mode. The structure of the gyroscope (29) and particularly the stator (42) places very little material along its center axis of the projectile (11). This is particularly useful where the projectile's warhead (17) functions by squirting a stream (25) of metal through a target's armor, and any material in the way of the stream (25) would tend to diminish the lethality of the projectile (11). The spherical configuration of the rotor (41) and the use of the stator (42) as a support bearing also provides a method of supporting the rotor (41) during conditions of high acceleration which are experienced in cannon launch of the projectile (11). Other advantages include light weight, low cost and high reliability.

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Bloomingdale, NJ, United States of America

Herbert T Califano