Loral Electro-optical Systems Inc.

Leo O Taylor

Fritz W Healey

Christopher Dawson

Helmet photodetector array

A photodetector array which mounts to a soft hat, such as a military fatigue hat, and which includes circumferentially spaced and outwardly facing photodetectors on radial arms extending from a central hub. A radio transmitter, including an antenna, is mounted at the hub. The arms extend radially outward to the edge of the hat crown, and then extend down the sides of the hat to the band. Each arm has a proximal end joined to the hub, a radial portion extending to the edge of the hat crown, an axial portion extending towards the hatband and a distal end terminating at a photodetector. A wiring harness is molded within the arms and connects the photodetectors and antenna to the transmitter. A fastener is provided on each arm, at the intersection of the radial and axial portions, to attach the arms to the outer edge of the hat crown. At least two of the arm distal ends are provided with attachments for a chin strap.

Photodetector array for soft hat mounting using a loop antenna

A laser diode optical system includes a laser diode having non-circular beam emitted from a diode emitter junction and having a peak energy centered on an optical axis, a collimating lens spaced from the laser diode with its focus at the laser diode on the optical axis to intercept direct energy from the laser diode and produce a central collimated beam on the optical axis, a paraboloidal reflector coaxially disposed about the laser diode emitted beam and collimating the portion of the emitted beam outside the included angle subtended by the lens, the collimated energy from the reflector being refracted through the periphery of the collimating lens to direct the collimated energy from the reflector into a hollow convergent-divergent conical beam coaxial about the central beam, a plurality of spaced energy diffusing elements on a surface of the lens intercepting and diffusing direct laser diode energy impinging the lens, and also intercepting and diffusing energy from the reflector, producing a spaced pattern of overlapping diffused beams forming a generally toroidal beam coaxially disposed about the central beam.

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Alta Loma, CA, United States of America

Leo O Taylor