Eldec Corporation

USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

William R Little

David L Brodeur

Randall E Morton

Ted M Daniels

A communications system for transmitting optical signals between an optical transceiver (20) disposed on an aircraft and a ground-based computer system. The communications system includes a fiber optic cable (30) having one end coupled to the ground-based computer system and another end coupled to a magnetic attachment head (40). The magnetic attachment head secures the fiber optic cable to the aircraft and aligns the fiber optic cable with the optical transceiver.

System for transmitting signals between optical transceivers

A fiber optic sensor for determining the position of a shaft 10 that is supported by a bearing 12 includes a sensor circuit 14 and at least one fiber 16 that extends from the sensor circuit to a point proximate but slightly separated from the shaft surface, with a portion of the optical fiber extending through and being carried by the bearing. Target areas 18, 20 and 22 are located on shaft 10 so as to correspond to the positions to be determined. Each target area consists of an angled recess that is constructed and arranged, relative to the numerical aperture and orientation of the optical fiber, so as to substantially nonreflective insofar as the optical fiber is concerned, thus providing a sharp contrast to the highly reflective background of the shaft surface.

Fiber optic position sensor

A proximity sensing system including an improved variable inductance measuring technique to provide an indication of the proximity of a target object to a remote sensor unit 10 which includes a sensor inductor. A variable inductance measuring apparatus measures the inductance of the sensor inductor, which inductance corresponds to the proximity of a target object. The variable inductance measuring network includes a sensor current pulse generator 20 which, in each of successive system periods, establishes a time-varying current through the sensor unit 10. A sensor control loop stage 30 senses when the resulting sensor voltage reaches a predetermined level and then captures the sensor current so as to clamp the sensor voltage at this level. A retrieval stage 40 then determines the rate of change of the sensor current at the time the sensor current is zero, establishing a calibrated analog voltage of the inductance of the sensor inductor which is substantially temperature independent. The inductance analog voltage is applied to a proximity detection and switching stage 50 which provides a quantized target-near detection pulse if the inductance analog voltage corresponds to a threshold proximity of the target object. Integration over successive system periods then provides a time-average proximity voltage which is applied to a Schmitt trigger and proximity switching network 58, the output of which indicates the proximity of the target object to the sensor inductor with respect to a threshold actuation gap.

Proximity sensing system and inductance measuring technique

1. In a circuit for detonating a projectile at its point of closest appro to a target toward which the projectile has been launched, said projectile incorporating a sensor for developing an electrical wave which increases in magnitude as the projectile approaches the target and then drops to zero at the point of closest approach of the projectile to the target in the event that there is no contact therebetween, said circuit comprising:

Amplifier for missile detonator

A linear eddy current loss (ECL) proximity distance measuring gauge comprising an ECL oscillator and a linearizing DC feedback circuit is disclosed. As the distance between a magnetic target and the ECL coil increases and changes the impedance of the ECL tuned circuit, the linearizing DC feedback circuit shunts current away from the tuned circuit and controls the rate at which oscillation amplitude varies with a change in target distance. The amplitude control created by the linearizing DC feedback circuit results in oscillation amplitude being linearly related to the distance between the target and the ECL coil. A peak detector circuit detects oscillation amplitude and applies a directly related DC voltage to a buffering emitter follower output circuit. Thus, output voltage is linearly related to target distance.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

William R Little