Quantic Industries, Inc.

The Singer Company

Quanti Industries, Inc.

William David Fahey

David S Whang

Mark Lucas Avory

Stewart Shannon Fields

Charles John Piper, Iii

Charles Joyce Moore, Jr

Theodore J Netoff

Kenneth E Willis

Albert J Baggett, Jr

Martin Gerald Richman

Pierre R Irissou

John G Richards

David R Marsh

Raymond C Osofsky

Robert W Lotz

Mark L Avory

John B Sullivan

Richard Saasta

Lawrence Theodore Weinman

Kelly W Lemons

Giang V Dao

Terry Joseph Pink

Jack Wendel Newhard

Paul J Perez

Lawrence Weinman

Steven R Bryan

David E Manners

Disclosed are compositions that are useful as microgas-generators, which can be used as propellants in airbags or seatbelt pretensioners. The compositions use a fuel which comprises an organic compound having a high ratio of the number of reactive carbon-oxygen groups to the total number of carbon atoms. The compositions also optionally use an oxidizer to supply oxygen to the fuel and/or a binding agent to form the fuel and optional oxidizer into particles. The compositions are useful as ignitors or squibbs, and can be used in industrial tools, seatbelt pretensioning systems, and airbags.

Combustible composition for use in vehicle safety systems

This invention discloses a method of fabricating an electroexplosive device which utilizes a semiconductor bridge as an ignition element. The semiconductor bridge is electrically connected to a metal header by a small, low resistance contact to the extension of bridge material and through an insulating silicon substrate to an eutectic bond created by gold plating on the metal header and the silicon. The second electrode of the bridge circuit is connected via wire bonds to one or two conducting pins which penetrate the metal header and are insulated by surrounding glass. A redundant connection via two conducting pins insulated from the header to one electrode of the semiconductor bridge allows a post assembly test of the integrity of the wire bonds, thereby increasing reliability of the device.

Semiconductor bridge explosive device

The invention relates to an electrical initiator which can be used with an automobile air bag or seat belt pretensioner. The initiator comprises a header, a cup, conducting pins, epoxy pin seals, a bridgewire, a primer, and an output charge. The header and the cup are composed of an insulating dielectric material capable of being ultrasonically welded together. The header secures the pins. Each pin is electrically conductive and each is formed with a buttress knurl to form a seal when each pin is inserted into the header. Additionally, the pins are further sealed to the header by an epoxy sealant. The bridgewire connects the pins together on one side of the header. An electrical signal through the bridgewire generates heat igniting the primer. Primer reacts with the output charge that in turn ignites a solid gas generant that produces gas that fills air bags or activates the gas generator that drives seat belt pretensioners. The primer contacts the bridgewire. The output charge contacts the primer. The output charge is in the cup, and the cup is ultrasonically welded to the header to provide, along with the pin seals, an environmentally secure seal.

Electrical initiator

Electrical initiator seal

The invention relates to an electrical initiator which can be used with an automobile air bag or seat belt pretensioner. The initiator comprises a header, a cup, conducting pins, epoxy pin seals, a bridgewire, a primer, and an output charge. In some embodiments, the initiator also includes a director can. The header and the cup are composed of an insulating dielectric material capable of being ultrasonically welded together. The header secures the pins. Each pin is electrically conductive and each is formed with a buttress knurl to form a seal when each pin is inserted into the header. Additionally, the pins are further sealed to the header by an epoxy sealant and the interference fit of the pin to the header. The bridgewire connects the pins together on one side of the header. An electrical signal through the bridgewire generates heat igniting the primer. Primer reacts with the output charge that in turn ignites a solid gas generant that produces gas that fills air bags or activates the gas generator that drives seat belt pretensioners. The primer contacts the bridgewire. The output charge contacts the primer. The output charge is in the cup, and the cup is ultrasonically welded to the header to provide, along with the pin seals, an environmentally secure seal.

This invention relates to a circuit and method for generating sequential, multiple impulses for use in firing or initiating more than one output device. The invention permits the firing, or actuation, of multiple devices at different times. The disclosed invention is an improvement on existing designs for multiple output impulse cartridges. This multi-output impulse cartridge has self-contained an electrical circuit and electrical energy storage capacitors which allow a single, short pulse of input current to initiate a first output, time out a second or multiple later outputs, and fire the outputs from the remaining energy stored on the capacitors.

Internally timed, multi-output impulse cartridge

The invention relates to providing a reliable means for controlling a laser diode in an initiator for starting a pyrotechnic reaction in an ordnance. The circuit has an array of capacitors to tune the coupling of the input signal to provide for more efficient power transfer from an electrical energy system. The circuit contains a full wave rectifier to provide DC power to operate the circuit. The circuit also contains a two stage current amplifier that is controlled by a differential amplifier. The differential amplifier compares a voltage proportional to the current flowing through the controlled laser diode with a reference voltage. The differential amplifier controls the current amplifier to limit the current that can pass through the laser diode. The circuitry that provides the reference voltage has the ability to drive the reference voltage to zero when the input signal is removed or is too low to drive the circuit properly. This prohibits current spikes from developing in the laser diode when the circuit is shutting down. The reference voltage circuitry also turns the laser diode on relatively slowly to allow the current control circuitry to become stable. This prevents damaging current overshoots that otherwise could occur at the time the laser diode is turned on.

Laser diode driver circuit

A radio frequency attenuating connector includes a secondary coil connected to a load, an electromagnetic shield enclosing the secondary coil and the load, a primary coil, a coupler for detachably coupling the primary coil and the secondary coil, an integrated circuit including a square wave oscillator producing complementary output signals, and first and second switching devices. The first switching device is responsive to one of the complementary output signals for causing a current to flow in one direction through at least a portion of the primary coil during a first half cycle of oscillation, and the second switching device is responsive to another of the complementary output signals for causing a current to flow in an opposite direction through at least a portion of the primary coil. The integrated circuit has an enable feature and includes additional protection circuitry for enhancing the safety of the radio frequency attenuating connector.

Radio frequency attenuating connector

The visual system within an aircraft flight simulation system receives flight data from a flight simulation computer, and terrain data from a gaming area data base. A computer within the visual system organizes this image data in a buffer memory according to a particular format, and forwards the image data to an image processor. The following types of data are formatted and processed: Position vectors, defining the changing position of the aircraft with respect to the origin of the terrain coordinate system. Rotational data, defining the changing attitude of the aircraft with respect to the terrain coordinate system. Initialization vectors, defining the position of the landmark points within the terrain coordinate system. The landmark points are translated into the aircraft coordinate system to form translated vectors. Delta data, defining the position of other points, lines, and faces with respect to the landmark points. CIF data, defining color, intensity, defocus, etc. of individual lines and points and the texture within each face. Transfer data, which is coded to identify the data thereafter. The image processor translates delta data into face vertex vectors, defining the position relationship between the vertices of each terrain object and the aircraft. The image processor then rotates the face vertex vectors into channel vectors and clips the data outside the field of vision. The image processor then projects each three-dimensional channel vector into a two-dimensional display vector. Finally, the image processor generates raster scanlines and a display generator receives the display vector faces, and other image data to provide analog inputs to CRT devices which provide the window displays for the simulated aircraft.

Real-time simulation of a polygon face object system as viewed by a

A character recognition apparatus for recognizing an unknown character having a value at a matrix of discrete locations, comprising a ROM having at least a first plurality of storage locations each containing an address storing location and a reference storing location and storing information relative to a reference character, the ROM responding to a count signal and providing a first address signal and a reference signal, a RAM including a second greater plurality of storage locations each storing a value of the unknown character at a discrete matrix location, the RAM being responsive to the first address signal and providing a data signal corresponding to the value of the unknown character at the address location, a counter and a comparator circuit responding to the data signal and the reference signal and producing an output signal that serves as an indication that the unknown character is not the reference character. In the preferred embodiment, two ROMs and two RAMs are employed to enhance the speed of the apparatus.

Character recognition apparatus for serially comparing an unknown

A threshold detector for use with a video signal including a first level representative of a white surface, a second level representative of a true black mark on the white surface, and a third level intermediate the first and second levels representative of a false black mark, the threshold detector comprising a DC restoring circuit for clamping the video signal such that the first level is clamped to a base level, a peak detector circuit responsive to the restored signal and operative to provide a peak detected signal having a magnitude that corresponds generally to the peaks of the restored second level, a voltage divider circuit for reducing the magnitude of the peak detected signal by a predetermined amount, a comparator responsive to the restored signal and the reduced peak detected signal and operative to produce a first bistate signal having a high level when the restored signal exceeds the reduced peak detected signal, a pulse generator for generating a sequence of pulses, one of which occurs when the first bistate signal has a high level, and a flip-flop responsive to the first bistate signal and the sequence of pulses and operative to provide a second bistate signal having a first state and a second state, and having a transition from the first state to the second state when there is time coincidence between the high level and one of the pulses, the second state corresponding to the occurrence of a true black mark.

Threshold detector for optical character recognition system

Symbols from printed labels are imaged onto a photoresponsive matrix. The matrix is scanned, column by column, to provide a digital data stream characteristic of the symbol with a bit corresponding to each matrix element. Each matrix element is examined by a decision-making device to determine what the state of the subject element should be based on the actual states of a group of examination elements adjacent to the subject element. The makeup of the examination group and the specific algorithm of the hardware (or software) will vary with each type of application. The examination group for a character stroke widener (FIGS. 2 and 3) is formed by seven matrix elements: the subject element, plus the three immediately previously scanned elements in the same column as the subject element, plus the three elements in the same row as the subject element in the three immediately previously scanned columns. A stroke-widening algorithm widens the symbol stroke width by one bit if the stroke width is either one or two elements wide. The symbol stroke is widened to promote character recognition by the 'peep hole' or fine encoding point technique.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

William David Fahey