US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Paul B Ruffin

Fang Luo

Christina L Brantley

Eugene Edwards

Joe S Hunter

Daniel Lee Shumate

Harold V White

Michael L Steelman

Wayne E Davenport

Kenneth A Corbett

James C Hung

Charles A Mandy, Jr

John Curtis Fulda

J Gregory Anderson

Crawford D Mabee, Iii, Deceased

The present disclosure relates to a gas sensor, including: a gas collecting chamber including: (a) a nanoporous wall including alumina, on a portion of the gas collecting chamber in the near vicinity of the solid propellant fuel; a micro pump attached to the gas collecting chamber; and a gas analysis device connected to the gas collecting chamber. The gas analysis device measures both type and concentration of gases collected in the gas collecting chamber via the nanoporous wall, the gases measured being selected from the group consisting of CO, CO, NO, NO, NOand combinations thereof. The present disclosure also relates to a method of sensing propellant degradation in solid fuel and a method of using a gas collecting chamber to sense such degradation.

Apparatus and methods for detecting propellant degradation in solid propellant fuel

The present application relates to an internal optical spectroscope comprising: a needle sleeve insertable into and removable from targeted living tissue; a shaft housed by the needle sleeve including at least one v-shaped trough including an aft side and a next-to-aft side; a light source comprising variable light wave lengths of both visible and near infrared light; at least one light transmission fiber comprising a transmitting end; at least one light detector fiber comprising a receptive end; and data processor. The present application also relates to a method of performing an optical biopsy in situ.

Internal optical spectroscope and method for real time in-situ diagnosis in living cells

A spectrometric system, including: a solid rocket fuel; an illuminating source including at least two wavelengths within a spectral range from 100 nm to 200,000 nm, a first wavelength or range of wavelengths having a distinguishably greater or lesser absorbance for the stabilizer than for components of the propellant, and a second wavelength or range of wavelengths having an absorbance for the stabilizer not distinguishably different than the absorbance for the components of the propellant, an illuminating fiber to illuminate a surface of a solid rocket fuel; a collecting fiber to collect back scattered, reflected or transmitted light being given off from the surface of the solid rocket fuel; and a spectrometer to determine the light intensities of the two wavelengths of the back scattered, reflected or transmitted light collected.

System and method for detecting the amount of stabilizer degradation in solid rocket propellant

A microneedle insertable in a target cell tissue, including a manipulative end maintained exterior of cell tissue and an insertion end positionable in or adjacent of target cell tissue. A plurality of microtubes are bundled to pass through the needle body and extend to respective distal ends grouped proximally interior of the insertion end. A sensing fiber is extendable from means for sensing for passage through the needle body to a distal end capable of sensing cell tissue parameters. The insertion end and the bundled microtube and sensing fiber distal ends are positionable in or adjacent of cell tissue thereby providing rapid evaluation of cell parameters by optic fiber sensing, fiber sampling of cell parameters, and precise delivery of therapeutic fluids or additional treatment measures. A method is also disclosed of precisely positioning a microneedle having a plurality of microtubes and sensing fibers therein for evaluating and treating cell tissue.

Precision sensing and treatment delivery device for promoting healing in living tissue

A substantially cylindrical symmetrically wound coil for a fiber optic rotation sensor, having a flat cylindrical disc, with a central aperture, disposed in the center of the coil. A continuous optical fiber of substantially uniform cross section having two substantially symmetrical segments extends through the aperture. A spirally wound first fake of a first segment of the fiber is disposed on one side of the disc in a helical spiral extending from the inner diameter of the aperture of the disc to its outer circumference in closely spaced spiral loops. A spirally wound first fake of a second segment of the fiber is disposed on the other side of the disc in a helical spiral extending from the inner diameter of the disc to its outer circumference in closely spaced spiral loops. A first connecting portion of the first segment of the fiber extends from the outer circumference of the one side of the disc across the outer circumference of the disc and the first fake of the second segment of the fiber. A spirally wound second fake of the first segment of the fiber is juxtaposed on the surface of the first fake of the second segment of the fiber in a helical spiral extending from the outer circumference of the disc to the inner diameter of the disc. A first connecting portion of the second segment of the fiber extends from the outer circumference of the one side of the disc across the outer circumference of the disc and the first fake of the first segment of the fiber. A spirally wound second fake of the second segment of the fiber is juxtaposed on the surface of the first fake of the first segment of the fiber in a helical spiral which extends from the outer circumference of the disc to the inner diameter of the disc. A spirally wound third fake of the first segment of the fiber is juxtaposed on the surface of the second fake of the first segment of the fiber in a helical spiral which extends from the inner diameter of the disc to its outer circumference in closely spaced spiral loops. A spirally wound third fake of the second segment of the fiber is juxtaposed on the surface of the second fake of the second segment of the fiber in a helical spiral which extends from the inner diameter of the disc to its outer circumference in closely spaced spiral loops. The ends of each of the segments of the fiber are adapted for connection to a fiber optic rotation sensor.

Thermally symmetric, crossover-free fiber optic sensor coils and method

A device for applying adhesive onto a fiber, such as an optical fiber, is located between the fiber supply spool and rewinder and comprises a covered cup for holding liquid adhesive, and a drying chamber. The cup has first and second bores for passing the fiber therethrough and is suitably insulated from external temperature changes. The entrance of the drying chamber is coupled to a side of the cup so that it surrounds the second bore.

Device for applying adhesive onto fiber and drying before winding

A process for terminating the winding of one fiber layer being wound on a bbin in one direction and beginning the winding of another layer in the opposite direction wherein the bobbin is alternately rotated and traversed in small increments to obtain a transition from one layer to another which is free of gaps between adjacent turns in a layer and which does not slough off the bobbin.

High speed precision optical fiber winding system

A device for controlling the lag angle of optical fiber as it is wound on a obbin prior to the fiber wound bobbin being placed in a missile and payed out during flight on the missile. The device includes a laser light source which is projected into the groove between the turns of fiber being wound on the bobbin. A hemispherical detector receives the reflected laser light as it tracks the light between the grooves and any difference in the light intensity that is received by the detector is amplified and is used to speed up or slow down a reversible, variable speed motor which controls the winding of the fiber on the bobbin.

Device for controlling optical fiber lag angle for fiber wound on a

More than ten different wavelength channels are multiplexed over a single tical fiber for use in optical slip ring assemblies. The ends of multimode fibers, through which light signals of different wavelengths are transmitted, are packaged and fused to the end of a large core fiber. The single large core fiber in which the combined signals are transmitted can be used in an optical slip ring assembly in the same way as a single fiber containing one wavelength. The alignment accuracy is greatly enhanced for the large core fiber.

Efficient design technique for wavelength division multiplexing

A device for controlling the twist associated with optical fiber being wo on a bobbin is disclosed. Signal transmission analysis in fibers wound on bobbins require techniques not normally encountered when considering long straight fibers. Signal loss on a fiber cable payout assembly is mainly due to small bends in the fiber at crossover positions and in the transmission regions where the winding travel changes directions. The signal attenuation in a length of optical fiber is also known to be a function of the amount of twist in the fiber both in the wound and payed out states. This invention allows the amount of twist of the optical fiber to be precisely controlled from zero to full (360 degrees twist per turn of the bobbin) twist to provide optimum signal transmission for both the wound and payed out states.

Growing community of inventors

Harvest, AL, United States of America

Paul B Ruffin