Raytheon Company

Linda A Gee

John A Cogliandro

Christopher R Eck

Andrew B Facciano

David G Manzi

Christopher S Nordahl

A coupler for separable physically coupling together a pair of objects includes two parts, on opposite sides of a boundary, that have different piezoelectric characteristics. When an electric field is applied to the coupler parts the piezoelectric forces induce a mechanical stress that separates the parts. The parts may be made of the same or a similar material, such as a suitable ceramic material, with the different piezoelectric characteristics produced by templating the parts with different domain orientations, from different seeds, for example using a three-dimensional manufacturing processes. The coupler may be used to allow shock-free (or reduced shock) separation of parts, such as separation of stages of vehicles such as flight vehicles.

Separable physical coupler using piezoelectric forces for decoupling

Generally discussed herein are systems, devices, and methods for determining if a circuit is acting improperly. A system can include a module to receive proper performance values of a circuit, a module to receive improper performance values of the circuit, a module to compare actual circuit input characteristics (X) and actual circuit output characteristics (Y) to X, Y, D, and Z to determine if the circuit is more likely operating properly or more likely operating improperly, and an alert module to, in response to determining the circuit is operating improperly, provide an alert to personnel indicating that the circuit is operating improperly or providing one or more signals to the circuit that cause the circuit to alter its current operation.

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Danville, NH, United States of America

Linda A Gee