Bae Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.

Michael J Shaw

Philip R Staver

Jeffrey L Jew

Benjamin R Johnson

David Paul Kelly

Peter A Budni

Joseph M Owen

Ian B Murray

Leonard A Pomeranz

John J Polizotti

Ryan Dippel

Benjamin K Campbell

John C Wikman

Craig J Paggi

Adam J Marcinuk

Dean W Howarth

Timothy Whalen

Tyler Forbes

David E Thompson

William R Samuels

Matthew M Hall

Michael P Mitchell

Heather A Wickman

Andrew Kaye

Robert Chadbourne

John A Mitchell

Geoffrey K Torrington

Timothy W Spence

A 3D-printed reflective optic providing very high specific stiffness through the utilization of a hollow shelled design, with closed back, filled with high-stiffness internal volumetric space-filling open-cell lattice structures. Structurally-integrated sacrificial structures are included for the purposes of reduction or elimination of tooling during post-processing operations.

3D printing of high stiffness-to-weight reflective optics

A 3D printed additively manufactured (AM) elliptical bifurcating torsion flexure assembly system includes a base section; elliptical bifurcating torsion springs, each including a bifurcated legs section supported by the base; a bifurcated elliptical torsion spring section contiguous with the bifurcated legs section; and a single upper section contiguous with the elliptical torsion spring section. The single upper section includes a connection component, and the device material includes Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) heat-treated Ti6Al4V. The elliptical bifurcating torsion flexure assembly is printed as one part by a 3D additive manufacturing process, and the bifurcation maintains consistent balance while being torqued. The stiffness-spring rate of the device is at least partly controlled by varying cross-sectional shape and diameters by the 3D additive manufacturing printing.

Additively manufactured elliptical bifurcating torsion spring

A 3D-printed reflective optic providing very high specific stiffness through the utilization of a hollow shelled design, with closed back, filled with high-stiffness internal volumetric space-filling open-cell lattice structures. High-stiffness, structurally-integrated, sacrificial structures are also included for the purposes of reduction or elimination of tooling during post-processing operations.

The system and method for combining two optical assemblies into the same volume, particularly when the field of view of the two assemblies are different, so that the overall volume and swap for the system is reduced. This also allows both subsystems to use the same external protective window, reducing overall cost for a system of co-located dissimilar optical systems in a single aperture.

Method for co-locating dissimilar optical systems in a single aperture

The system and method for combining two optical assemblies into the same volume, particularly when the field of view of the two assemblies are different, so that the overall volume and size, weight and power (SWaP) for the system is reduced. This also allows both subsystems (e.g., narrow field of view (NFOV) and wide field of view (WFOV) to use a single aperture and the same external protective window, reducing overall cost for a system of co-located dissimilar optical systems in a single aperture.

The system and method for an additively manufactured radome for a cavity backed notch comprising at least one lattice structure wherein the antenna works over any 4:1 bandwidth, from VHF to mmW. In some cases, the radome lattice has a density that changes with distance from the antenna. In some cases multiple antennas are used for direction finding. The radome may be additively manufactured from glass-loaded polymer or other materials having a low dielectric constant. In some cases, the radome has a dielectric contract that approaches that of air.

Cavity backed notch antenna with additively manufactured radome

A method for fabricating an integrated heat pipe is disclosed. The integrated heat pipe includes a porous wick structure, a solid conducting structure, and an integrated part. In a CAD model, the porous wick structure is represented as a simple solid having a finite amount of mechanical interference; the solid conducting structure and the integrated part are represented as simple solids. After incorporating the CAD model into a 3D-printer build file, 3D-printer parameters representing the porous wick structure of the integrated heat pipe are assigned to a porous region component model within the 3D-printer build file, and standard 3D-printer parameters representing the solid conducting structure and the integrated part are assigned to a solid region component model within the 3D-printer build file. The 3D-printer build file is utilized to print the integrated heat pipe on a 3D printer.

Method for fabricating integrated heat pipes via additive manufacturing

The system and method for forming an ignition sequencer comprising two inseparable portions (a body and an armature) where an armature is articulable with respect to a body to allow for the existence of no less than two distinct stages of the ignition sequence through the articulating motion of the additively-manufactured armature. The ignition sequencer assembly architecture allows for installation of an internal energetic compound while all components are assembled and interconnected. The ignition sequencer assembly architecture allows for installation into a next higher-level assembly using a single, uniaxial, force.

Additively manufactured mechanical multistage ignition sequencer

A fiber optic rotary joint includes a first fiber optic cable operably coupled to one of a stator and a rotor and a second fiber optic cable operably coupled to the other of the stator and the rotor. The stator and the rotor define a free space optical path between the first fiber optic cable and the second fiber optic cable. The rotor is rotatable about an axis of rotation parallel and collinear with an optical axis of at least one end of the fiber optic rotary joint. A first beam conditioning mechanism is configured to condition a light beam emitted from the first fiber optic cable and a second beam conditioning mechanism is configured to focus the conditioned light beam into the second fiber optic cable.

High efficiency and power fiber optic rotary joint

A temperature insensitive locking apparatus for use with large optical mounts having at least one locking nut having an internal threaded portion adjacent to an internal tapered portion, at least one flexurized spring collet attached to a rigid base structure having an external threaded portion and a plurality of tapered flexures, a pivot shaft engaged with an optical yoke on a rotational axis of symmetry wherein when the internal threads of the locking nut engage with the external threads of the flexurized spring collet an increased level of a radial clamping force is provided around the pivot shaft.

Temperature insensitive precision locking apparatus for use with large aperture adjustable optic mounts

A fiber optic laser for use in high stress environments is provided. The fiber optic laser comprises a hollow spool structure housing a fiber in a spiral groove in an interior surface of said hollow spool structure, wherein the fiber is mechanically supported along an entirety of its length within the hollow spool structure. Fluid channels are formed within the hollow spool structure, wherein a quantity of coolant is movable through the fluid channels to provide high-precision thermal management of the fiber.

Ruggedized fiber optic laser for high stress environments

A two-part fiber optic collimator has a precision adjuster for controlling the position of a spring-biased lens carrier with respect to the collimator's body. An interchangeable fiber optic connector adaptor is attached to the collimator body for accurately positioning the end of a fiber optic cable in the collimator.

High-power precision compact variable-focus fiber optic collimator

Techniques and architecture are disclosed for providing a laser system. In one specific example embodiment, the system includes a thulium-doped fiber laser coupled by silica glass fiber to a remote optical converter (ROC) including a Ho:YAG laser and, optionally, an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) utilizing in germanium phosphide (ZnGeP; ZGP) or orientation-patterned gallium arsenide (OPGaAs). The fiber laser may emit a low-peak-power, continuous wave pump signal that pumps the Ho:YAG laser, which in turn emits a higher-peak-power, pulsed signal. When included, the OPO can be used to convert the resultant, pulsed signal to a longer wavelength (e.g., about 2-5 &#x3bc;m, or greater). In some cases, distributed architecture and reduced weight/bulk may be realized while eliminating the need to actively cool the ROC for operation, for example, over a broad temperature range (e.g., &#x2212;55-125&#xb0; C.). Also, methods of preparing high-peak-power, pulsed signals using such systems are disclosed.

Multi-band laser architecture

A system and method for passing a fiber cable through a fiber connector is presented. A fiber connector includes an outer body and a series of flutes inside the outer body. The outer body forms an interior chamber that has a first opening and a second opening. The first opening allows a coolant to flow into the first opening and the first and second openings allow the fiber cable to pass through the first opening and the second opening and through the fiber connector. A series of flutes are attached to an inner surface of the outer body and extend into the interior chamber. The flutes are spaced apart from each other and extend from the inner surface toward the fiber cable but do not touch the fiber cable when no liquid is flowing in the fiber connector.

Zero stress fiber optic fluid connector

A method and apparatus for laser beam splitting and shaping is disclosed wherein two beam splitters are used to split one input laser beam into four beams in a generally rectangular pattern. Half-wave plates are used to adjust the power of the input laser beam between the four laser beams. A variable power optical telescope comprising negative and positive lens pairs for the four laser beams is used to adjust the divergence of the four beams, and pointing control prism wedges are used to point or steer the four beams to be parallel to each other and to adjust their relative spacing to create a flat top profile.

Growing community of inventors

Concord, NH, United States of America

Michael J Shaw