| HR TEXTRON INC. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20100264254 | TECHNIQUES FOR CONTROLLING ACCESS THROUGH A SLOT ON A PROJECTILE - A slot cover actuation assembly controls access through a slot on a projectile. The slot cover actuation assembly includes a slot cover, a fastener (e.g., a screw), and an actuator (e.g., a squib device). The fastener is arranged to position the slot cover at an installation position on the projectile. The slot cover covers the slot on the projectile when the slot cover resides at the installation position. The actuator is arranged to release the slot cover from the installation position on the projectile. The slot cover uncovers the slot on the projectile when the actuator releases the slot cover from the installation position on the projectile, thus allowing a control surface member (e.g., a fin) to deploy. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100259274 | Testing an inductive load of a device using a modulated signal - A device has built-in inductive load testing capabilities. The device includes a device housing, an inductive load disposed within the device housing; and test circuitry disposed within the device housing. The test circuitry is constructed and arranged to effectuate application of a modulated test signal to the inductive load, and obtain a result signal in response to the application of the modulated test signal to the inductive load. The test circuitry is further constructed and arranged to generate an output signal indicating that the inductive load is in one of (i) a shorted inductive load state, (ii) a normal inductive load state, and (iii) an abnormally high inductive load state, based on the result signal. Such test circuitry is well-suited for testing a variety of devices having inductors/coils which are susceptible to defects (e.g., a solenoid, a motor winding, various actuator components, etc.). | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100215424 | LOCKING DEVICE WITH A SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY ACTUATOR AND METHOD OF USE - A locking device includes a shape memory alloy actuator that engages a locking pin to release the pin and unlock the device it is engaging. Upon heating the shape memory alloy member, it returns to a predetermined shape, which has a length shorter than its non-heated length. As the shape memory alloy actuator shortens, it pulls the locking pin at least a pre-determined distance to release the locking pin from engagement with the device it is locking and into engagement with a pin release member. The pin release member holds the locking pin in the unlocked position until the pin release member is moved from engagement with the locking pin. Once moved, the pin release member disengages from the locking pin and the pin is moved back into its original, locked position. The shape memory alloy actuator and pin release member are also returned to their original position. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100164311 | LIMITED ANGLE EXTERNAL ROTOR MOTOR ACTUATOR SYSTEM - The actuator system has a external rotor motor having: (i) an internal armature configured as a stator having a set of coils wrapped around a set of arms, and (ii) an external permanent magnet rotor having a set of poles configured to rotate less than 90 degrees around the stator. The actuator system has a drive shaft configured to be rotated by the external rotor motor. The actuator system has a drive train connecting the external permanent magnet rotor to the drive shaft, and configured to provide gear ratio to the drive shaft. | 07-01-2010 |
| 20100147992 | ECCENTRIC DRIVE CONTROL ACTUATION SYSTEM - A control surface actuation system has the ability to move aerodynamic control surfaces using a rotational motion of a motor. In an arrangement, rotational motion of the motor enables the aerodynamic control surfaces of a rotating projectile to oscillate and thus vary the angle of the control surfaces as the projectile spins. The rotation of a motor in one direction in combination with a gear and a link and a crank arm attached to a shaft of the aerodynamic control surfaces allows the control surfaces to move in fluttering motion to induce the maneuvering of a projectile in the desired direction. A controller takes information regarding the current condition of the projectile and drives the motor to move the aerodynamic devices to maneuver the projectile. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100050712 | ROTARY ACTUATOR BALL-DETENT LOCKING MECHANISM - One embodiment is directed to a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism has a housing and a rotary actuator carried by the housing. The rotary actuator includes a shaft and armature disposed around at least a portion of the shaft. The armature is configured to rotate the shaft about a longitudinal axis of the shaft. The locking mechanism also has a cam carried by the shaft and a set of locking balls disposed between the cam and the housing. The locking mechanism has a locking assembly carried by the housing, the locking assembly being axially positionable between a locked position relative to the housing and a released position relative to the housing. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20090322267 | MOTOR CONTROLLER WITH HALL SENSOR OUTPUT MISALIGNMENT COMPENSATION USING DELAYED OR SHIFTED COMMUTATION - In a normal operating mode, a motor controller provides motor drive current to windings of a motor based on sensor signals to drive the windings in a normal commutation sequence, and monitors for occurrence of a motor stall condition. Upon detecting the motor stall condition in a given commutation state, then in a first driving step, the windings are momentarily driven according to an advanced commutation state, and during the first driving step, a reverse transition of the sensor signals to a state corresponding to a preceding commutation state is detected. Upon completion of the first driving step when such a reverse transition of the sensor signals is detected, then in a second driving step the windings are driven according to the preceding commutation state until a forward transition of the sensor signals is detected, and in a third driving step the windings are momentarily continued to be driven according to the same commutation state notwithstanding the forward transition of the sensor signals before normal operation is resumed. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20090317027 | POSITION SENSING ASSEMBLY - A position sensing assembly includes a bearing element and a helically shaped rotational member used to drive a portion of a sensor assembly, such as a Digital Rotary Magnetic Encoder. Interaction between the bearing element and a helically shaped rotational member minimizes the presence of backlash in the position sensing assembly. Accordingly, as an actuator assembly drives both a control element, such as a flight control surface, and the position sensing assembly, the sensor assembly generates an output signal that accurately reflects the position of the control element. | 12-24-2009 |
| 20090277519 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING FLUID FLOW RATE CHARACTERISTICS OF A VALVE ASSEMBLY - A valve assembly controller is configured with a table having a set of command signal values representing commanded positions of a valve element to obtain a desired flow rates through a fluid pathway. The table also includes a set of empirically measured drive signal values representing the actual positions of the valve element required to obtain the desired flow rates through the fluid pathway. During operation, in order to obtain a desired flow rate through the fluid pathway, the controller intercepts a command signal from a command signal source and provides the valve assembly with a corresponding drive signal based upon the table values. The controller therefore controls the positioning of the valve element such that the valve element is opened to a position either greater or less than the commanded position in order to provide the desired flow through the fluid pathway. | 11-12-2009 |
| 20090260461 | ACTUATOR WITH ZERO POINT INITIALIZATION - The actuator has a shaft having a starting point resistance feature, and a low resistance portion. The actuator has a motor configured to rotate the shaft, the motor outputting a current feedback signal to indicate current exiting the motor. The actuator has a interference portion in proximity to the shaft, the interference portion configured to facilitate a resistance to shaft rotation when the shaft rotates, the resistance to shaft rotation causing a magnitude of the current signal to be greater when the starting point resistance feature passes in front of the interference portion than when the low resistance portion passes in front of the interference portion. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090133767 | DUAL REDUNDANT SERVOVALVE - A servovalve includes a single motor which actuates separate valve members of separate servovalve assemblies. Each of the valve members controls the flow of hydraulic fluid from separate hydraulic fluid sources. In order to provide each valve member with the ability to operate in the event that the other valve member becomes inoperable, such as caused by jamming of the valve member, each servovalve assembly includes a compression assembly that provides each servovalve assembly with a jam-override capability. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090108702 | LAMINATION HAVING TAPERED TOOTH GEOMETRY WHICH IS SUITABLE FOR USE IN ELECTRIC MOTOR - An electric motor has a stator, and a rotor disposed within the stator. The stator has a set of stator laminations and a set of windings held in position by the set of stator laminations. The rotor is arranged to rotate about an axis. The set of stator laminations is arranged into a stack. Each stator lamination includes an outer section, and a set of teeth coupled to the outer section. Each tooth of the set of teeth extends from that outer section toward the axis. Each tooth has (i) a first end which is proximate to the outer section and distal to the axis, and (ii) a second end which is proximate to the axis and distal to the outer section. A width of the first end of each tooth is substantially greater than a width of the second end of each tooth. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090101752 | LOCKING ASSEMBLY FOR ROTARY SHAFTS - A locking assembly has a base and a rotary shaft which is capable of rotating relative to the base. The rotary shaft has a shaft body and a set of capture portions supported by the shaft body. The locking assembly further includes a set of detention mechanisms supported by the base. The set of detention mechanisms is arranged to (i) initially apply retention force to the set of capture portions to provide resistance against rotation of the rotary shaft from an initial angular position, and (ii) remove application of the retention force from the set of capture portions in response to an amount of rotational torque on the rotary shaft. The amount of rotational torque on the rotary shaft exceeds a predetermined threshold and is sufficient to substantially rotate the rotary shaft from the initial angular position. | 04-23-2009 |
| 20090066274 | MOTOR CONTROLLER WITH HALL SENSOR MISALIGNMENT COMPENSATION - A technique can recover from motor stalls caused by misalignment of motor position sensors such as Hall-effect sensors. In a normal operating mode, a motor controller provides motor drive current to the motor windings based on the sensor signals according to a normal commutation sequence, and monitors for occurrence of a motor stall condition. Upon detecting the motor stall condition, the motor controller first momentarily drives the windings according to one of an advanced commutation state and a delayed commutation state each adjacent to the given commutation state in the normal commutation sequence, and determines whether the motor stall condition persists. If the stall condition persists, then the motor controller next momentarily drives the windings according to the other of the advanced commutation state and the delayed commutation state. By this action, the controller attempts operation at both preceding and succeeding portions of the torque characteristic, such that operation with increased torque is ensured even though the direction of the sensor misalignment is unknown. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090001966 | MOTOR SYSTEM EMPLOYING ANALOG ENCODED HALL EFFECT SENSOR POSITION INFORMATION FOR REDUCED WIRING - A system has a sensor assembly mounted adjacent to a moving magnetic member such as a motor rotor to sense its position. The sensor assembly includes Hall-effect sensors each having a binary output, configured such that distinct positions of the moving magnetic member correspond to distinct digital patterns of the outputs of the Hall-effect sensors. Encoding circuitry is coupled to the outputs of the Hall-effect sensors to generate a multi-valued analog output, distinct values of the multi-valued analog output representing corresponding distinct digital patterns of the outputs of the Hall-effect sensors. The encoding circuitry may employ a ladder network with weighted-value resistors contributing different components of an analog current sensed by the controller. The sensed current can be converted to digital position information using suitable analog-to-digital conversion circuitry. The multi-valued analog output can be conveyed on a single wire in contrast to the prior art which requires one wire per Hall-effect sensor. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20080315032 | 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 control assembly is supported by the central shaft. The surface control assembly includes a movable member arranged to control a trajectory of the guidable projectile during flight of the guidable projectile, and an electromagnetic actuator interconnected between the central shaft and the movable member. The electromagnetic actuator is arranged to control movement of the movable member relative to the central shaft. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20080308671 | Techniques for articulating a nose member of a guidable projectile - A guidable projectile has a nose member, a projectile body, and a nose member articulation assembly which couples the nose member to the projectile body. The nose member articulation assembly includes a stator attached to the nose member, a rotor attached to the projectile body, and rotational support hardware interconnecting the stator to the rotor. The stator defines a central axis. The rotational support hardware is constructed and arranged to guide rotation of the rotor around the central axis defined by the stator. Such a guidable projectile enables circuitry such as the driver of the stator and the power source to reside at fixed locations relative to the stator thus alleviating the need for slip rings which would otherwise present potential points of failure. | 12-18-2008 |
| 20080237391 | GUIDED PROJECTILE WITH POWER AND CONTROL MECHANISM - A projectile has the ability to generate and provide power to components located in two sections of the projectile which have relative rotation to each other. The projectile has a pair of generators allowing the powering of components in two sections. The projectile has a force-producing device for altering the direction of the projectile as the projectile moves along the longitudinal axis of the projectile and the relative rotational position of the force-producing device on the projectile is controlled by a generator. | 10-02-2008 |
