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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8084725 | Methods and apparatus for fast action impulse thruster Methods and apparatus for a fast action impulse thruster according to various aspects of the present invention may comprise a projectile comprising an impulse thruster system. The impulse thruster system may comprise a guidance system and a fast action impulse thrus... | 12/27/2011 |
| 7989743 | System and method for attitude control of a flight vehicle using pitch-over thrusters and application to an active protection system A reliable and inexpensive attitude control system uses a plurality of pitch-over thrusters to perform rapid and precise attitude maneuvers for a flight vehicle. The pitch-over thrusters create rotational moments that directly pitch and yaw the flight vehicle. The u... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7947938 | Methods and apparatus for projectile guidance Methods and apparatus for projectile systems according to various aspects of the present invention comprise a projectile attached to an auxiliary control system. The auxiliary control system may include a control system and a transverse propulsion system. The contro... | 05/24/2011 |
| 7902489 | Torsional spring aided control actuator for a rolling missile A control actuator system. The novel system includes a control surface mounted on a body and adapted to move in a first direction relative to the body, and a first mechanism for storing energy as the control surface moves in the first direction and releasing the sto... | 03/08/2011 |
| 7851732 | System and method for attitude control of a flight vehicle using pitch-over thrusters A reliable and inexpensive attitude control system uses a plurality of pitch-over thrusters to perform rapid and precise attitude maneuvers for a flight vehicle. The pitch-over thrusters create rotational moments that directly pitch and yaw the flight vehicle. The u... | 12/14/2010 |
| 7791007 | Techniques for providing surface control to a guidable projectile A guidable projectile has a central shaft, a projectile body, and a surface control assembly. The projectile body is arranged to rotate around at least a portion of the central shaft during flight of the guidable projectile to provide stabilization. The surface cont... | 09/07/2010 |
| 7728265 | MEMS type flow actuated out-of-plane flap A MEMS type flow actuated out-of-plane flap apparatus includes a substrate defining a plane; a duct attached to the substrate, the duct and the substrate defining a fluid flow channel; and a rotatable flap having a flow receiving portion and an extension portion. Th... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7692127 | MEMS type thermally actuated out-of-plane lever A MEMS apparatus includes a substrate; electrical contacts disposed on the substrate; a thermal arch beam supported by and connected between the contacts, the thermal arch beam including a midpoint and a protrusion located at about the midpoint; a lever having an ax... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7628352 | MEMS control surface for projectile steering A projectile includes a projectile body including a flow surface; the flow surface including at least one control surface formed therein. The controls surface is formed continuous with the flow surface, and a pressure source is connected to at least one control surf... | 12/08/2009 |
| 7566027 | Roll orientation using turns-counting fuze The present invention comprises a device for determining the roll orientation of a body with respect to a local fixed coordinate system or a predetermined reference vector. The device uses a measurement of an external magnetic field, such as the Earth's magnetic fie... | 07/28/2009 |
| 7478778 | Rocket engine having guide vanes in the nozzle of the engine A rocket engine having guide vanes in the engine nozzle the guide vanes (2) being mounted for turning at or near the rearmost ends of fixed vanes (1) being parallel to the axis of the nozzle and protruding into the combustion chamber of the engine. The... | 01/20/2009 |
| 7434762 | Retractable thrust vector control vane system and method A retractable thrust vector control system (10) for a rocket motor (26) that can generate an exhaust plume comprises at least one control vane (12) connectable to an attitude control assembly (20) that rotates the vane (12) about a... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7416154 | Trajectory correction kit The Trajectory Correction Kit (TCK) is a completely self-contained retrofit kit that is externally and fixedly mounted as an add-on to the rear (aft of the tailfins) of an existing, unguided rocket. The TCK continuously measures the pitch and yaw of the rocket as it... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7395987 | Apparatus and appertaining method for upfinding in spinning projectiles using a phase-lock-loop or correlator mechanism The invention relates to the field of gun-launched guidance systems and to a navigation system based on inertial sensors mounted in a spinning projectile using at least one rotation sensing device with input components perpendicular to the spinning body's longitudin... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7354017 | Projectile trajectory control system Trajectory is controlled by a control system having fins that de-spin a section of the control system relative to a projectile or missile. The control system also includes aero-surfaces that produce a lift when brought to rotation speed of about 0 Hz relative to a r... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7350743 | Missiles and control systems therefor A homing missile of which the target tracker has a restricted, e.g. a slit-shaped, field-of-view and which incorporates means whereby the field-of-view may be rotated, e.g. by rolling the missile, has a control system which to avoid certain instability problems, suc... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7350744 | System for changing warhead's trajectory to avoid interception A system for increasing a warhead's chance of hitting a target comprises a system for causing the warhead to deviate from its projected trajectory so that it will have an increased chance of avoiding intercepting force such as a kill vehicle a missile, an airplane, ... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7347644 | Multi-use adapter ring for stackable riser components for on-site waste systems A multi-use adapter ring for converting the compatibility of an access opening of an underground on-site waste or drainage facility tank surface or component so as to receive a lower end of a riser component, in a tongue-and-groove type connection, to help achieve a... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7341221 | Attitude determination with magnetometers for gun-launched munitions A system and method for performing attitude determination for projectiles comprises a projectile; a plurality of magnetometers arranged orthogonally to one another in the projectile, wherein the plurality of magnetometers are adapted to take first flight vector meas... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7338011 | Method making it possible to prevent vibration of a rudder of an aircraft and aircraft using this method A method for preventing vibration of a rudder of an aircraft may have, on a lateral aerodynamic surface of the aircraft's rudder, a protruding aerodynamic element capable of generating an aerodynamic effect tending to rotate the rudder about its articulation axis. A... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7316370 | Missile fin locking method and assembly A fin locking mechanism for locking in place, and subsequently unlocking fins for installation on a missile having a plurality of otherwise moveable fins. Where the fins are mounted to a crank arm, there is a locking detent, with a locking notch, integral to the cra... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7278609 | Movable nose cap and control strut assembly for supersonic aircraft A nose cap and control strut assembly for supersonic aircraft is disclosed. In one embodiment, the nose cap extends forward from the nose of the aircraft to deflect shock waves and decrease draft during supersonic flight. In another embodiment, control struts extend... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7277558 | Method and system for estimating the position of moving objects in images A method and system are disclosed for estimating a position of moving objects in a set of image data. In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a position of an object is identified in a first frame of image data acquired at a first time. Th... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7267298 | Method for correcting the flight path of ballistically fired spin-stabilised artillery ammunition At very low apparatus expenditure, namely with a canard system which is adjustable in a single-axis mode, it is possible to achieve a spatially two-dimensional trajectory correction in respect of the artillery ammunition which in itself is unguided, with the additio... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7267303 | Method and system for providing cruciform steered, bent biconic and plasma suppression for maximum accuracy A system for reducing plasma induced communication disruption is disclosed. The system utilizes an electrophilic gas injectant, bent reentry vehicle nose shaping and a number of flaps configured to provide 3-axis steering capability. Injecting electrophilic gas inje... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7262394 | Mortar shell ring tail and associated method There is provided a ring tail for a ballistic projectile and an associated method that facilitate maneuverability of the ballistic projectile. The ring tail comprises a ring member having a generally cylindrical wall and at least one rod joined to an aft section of ... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7255304 | Tandem motor actuator The invention relates to an actuator system for a projectile having a first and second pair of opposing steering fins disposed in a transverse plane of the projectile. The first pair of opposing steering fins includes a first fin and second fin. The second pair of o... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7252270 | System and method for launching a missile from a flying aircraft System for launching a missile from a launch region within the atmosphere of a planet, the missile being located within a flying vehicle before launching the missile, the system including a missile support coupled with the missile, and a foldable control-surface mec... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7246539 | Apparatus for actuating a control surface An apparatus for actuating a control surface includes a first spur gear; a first drive assembly engaged with the first spur gear; a second spur gear; and a second drive assembly engaged with the second spur gear. The apparatus further includes a gear assembly engage... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7237752 | System and method for reducing plasma induced communication disruption utilizing electrophilic injectant and sharp reentry vehicle nose shaping The present invention discloses a system and a method for reducing plasma induced communication disruption utilizing electrophilic injectant and sharp reentry vehicle nose shaping. Injecting electrophilic gas into plasma accomplishes reduction of plasma induced comm... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7234667 | Modular aerospace plane This invention relates to the design of a Modular Aerospace Plane (MAP) comprising a forward fuselage section, a main wing section, a tail section and wing attachments. Various sections can be integrated to offer a variety of aircraft characteristics, performance an... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7236121 | Pattern classifier and method for associating tracks from different sensors An interceptor-based sensor clusters tracks of objects to generate track clusters based on an uncertainty associated with each track, and generates feature vectors for a cluster under test using the relative placement and the population of other track clusters. The ... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7226015 | Aircraft and missile forebody flow control device and method of controlling flow The present invention relates to a forebody flow control system and more particularly to aircraft or missile flow control system for enhanced maneuverability and stabilization at high angles of attack. The present invention further relates to a method of operating t... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7219579 | Apparatus and method for actuating control surfaces An apparatus for actuating a control surface includes a first spur gear, a first drive assembly engaged with the first spur gear, a second spur gear, a second drive assembly engaged with the second spur gear, and a gear assembly capable of being coupled with the con... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7210654 | Unmanned airborne reconnaissance system An unmanned airborne reconnaissance system, the unmanned airborne reconnaissance system including a lightweight, portable, powered aircraft and a foldable launch rail, the aircraft, in a broken down condition and the launch rail in a broken down condition fitable in... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7207517 | Munition with integrity gated go/no-go decision A munition is presented which includes an integrity verification system that measures the integrity of the munition. When an integrity threshold is not met, engagement of the munition with a predetermined target is aborted. Also presented is a methodology for gating... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7207518 | Cartridge with fin deployment mechanism A projectile for a weapon comprises an axially movable firing pin, an initiator actuable when impinged by the firing pin, a plurality of external peripheral fins movable from a radially inward position to a radially outward position when the projectile leaves the we... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7195197 | Techniques for controlling a fin with unlimited adjustment and no backlash A fin control assembly includes a housing, an arm configured to couple to a fin and to steer the fin relative to the housing, and a locking member disposed within the housing. The locking member is configured to (i) lock the arm in a substantially fixed state to inh... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7185846 | Asymmetrical control surface system for tube-launched air vehicles Asymmetrical Control Surface System for Tube-Launched Air Vehicles places one control surface, such as a wing or a horizontal tail, above horizontal midplane axis of an air vehicle, such as a tube-launched missile, and the opposing control surface below the midplane... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7185848 | Mass transfer system for stabilizing an airship and other vehicles subject to pitch and roll moments The invention relates to a mechanism to control the pitch and/or roll and/or center of gravity of a vehicle. The first embodiment is a track-based mass transfer system in which pathways are positioned along or radially terminate at a central horizontal plane of the ... | 03/06/2007 |
