Abstract:
A servoed accelerometer (10) is connected with an accumulator (21) to provide a binary digital output. The accumulator output is connected with a digital-to-analog converter (25) which provided an analog rebalance signal to the accelerometer.
Abstract:
Thermally induced stress between a quartz proof mass (204) and the metal stators (200, 202) which constrain it are relieved by a suspension system employing pliant members. Contact points between the proof mass (110) and the stators (80) are formed by raised pads (224, 226) of the proof mass (204) which contact beams (220, 222) formed in the stators. Each beam (220, 222) has an axis of pliancy, which axis extends through a fixed, stable contact point (98) between the proof mass (204) and the stators (200, 202), the beam (220, 222) being otherwise rigid to applied forces along axes orthogonal to the axis of pliancy. The resulting suspension system exhibits compliance to thermally induced loads while providing rigidity in response to seismic loads. In alternative embodiments of the suspension system, the pliant beams are positioned to provide temperature compensation for components of the transducer.
Abstract:
A transducer assembly (10) includes first and second stators (14, 16) which are axially aligned with, and bear upon opposite sides of a proof mass (12). The stators (14, 16) and proof mass (12) are clamped together by means of a sleeve (100) having a side portion (102) with upper and lower flanges (104, 106) projecting therefrom. An inner sleeve element (110), formed from a material having a different coefficient of thermal expansion than the side portion (102), is disposed between the flanges (104, 106). The temperature of the sleeve (100) is controlled such that the inner sleeve element (110) produces a tensile stress on said flanges (104, 106), increasing the spacing therebetween. The flanges (104, 106) are then joined to the stators (14, 16). Thereafter, the temperature of the sleeve (100) is controlled such that the tensile stress produced by the inner sleeve element (110) on the flanges is reduced producing a compression force tending to reduce the flanging spacing. This compression force is transmitted to the stators (14, 16) and proof mass (12) as a controlled compressive axial preload.
Abstract:
A crash survivable memory unit (10) for an aircraft flight data recorder system wherein an electronically erasable solid state memory (38) for storing the flight data and a memory controller circuit (32) are housed in a penetration resistant, thermally insulated enclosure (60). Power dissipation within the insulated enclosure is minimized by an external switching circuit (48) that applies operating potential to the solid state memory (38) only when data are being transferred to and from the memory circuit (38). A data protection circuit (58), located within the insulated enclosure (60) inhibits memory write and erase operations whenever the system operating potential falls below a predetermined level. In continuously storing flight data, the oldest stored data is overwritten with newly arriving flight data and the memory controller (32) maintains an erased boundary that defines the beginning and end of the recorded data. A power monitor circuit (52), located outside the insulated enclosure (60), resets the memory controller (32) to the erased boundary following a power interruption. A dedicated portion of the memory space is utilized to store the address of faulty memory locations (detected during the data storage sequence) and stores the beginning and ending memory address of selected portions of the data record. The memory controller (32) is sequenced to skip both the faulty memory locations and memory storage locations associated with the selected portions of the data record when new flight data are being stored.
Abstract:
A terrain advisory system (10) utilizes stored data (18) representative of terrain and other obstacles in predeterminded geographical areas of interest to provide advisory warnings of the proximity of terrain, obstacles and restricted areas as they are approached. When used in a vehicle such as an aircraft, the system monitors (12, 13) the position, altitude, ground speed, ground track and the vertical speed of the vehicle and provides advisory indications of the position and path of travel of the vehicle with respect to obstacles and terrain. Such advisory indications may take the form of voice warnings (26) describing the nature and position of any obstacles, or a visual display (34, 36) showing the position of the obstacles and terrain with respect to the vehicle.
Abstract:
An aircraft flight data recorder housing (12) comprising a titanium alloy having a nominal composition of 15 weight percent vanadium, 3 weight percent chromium, 3 weight percent tin, and 3 weight percent aluminum with the balance being titanium and, within limitations, certain trace elements. The alloy is simultaneously hot formed and solution heat treated at temperatures on the order of 1400oF to 1500oF to fabricate the recorder housing (12).
Abstract:
PURPOSE: To store the magnet of a magnetic bias device and a shaft device in a hermetically sealed room and to store the driving coil which changes the direction of the magnet in a separate room so as to avoid the contamination of these parts. CONSTITUTION: A magnetic bias device 30 is formed having a hermetically sealed room 52 which stores pivot shafts 36 and 38, bearings 40 and 42 and a permanent magnet 34. Then, the room 52 is formed in a cylindrical hole shape and the magnet 34, the shafts 36 and 38 and bearings 40 and 42 are stored in the room 52, sealing plugs 54 and 56 are fixed by screws or adhesive and the room 52 is sealed. Then, a separate room is provided to fix a driving coil 32 on the top section of the room 52 and a magnetic shield is provided to reduce the electromagnetic interference between the magnet 34 and the coil 32.