US3898668A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Integrated radiometric seeker gyro
Assignee: Kearfott Guidance and Navigation Corp
•
Filing: 1974-05-15
•
Granted: 1975-08-05
•
Expires: 1994-05-15
Abstract
Abstract A radiometer and gyroscope are integrated in a single unit by coupling part of an antenna directly to the spinning inertial mass or rotor of the gyroscope. In the preferred embodiment a Cassegrain antenna is coupled to a dynamically tuned, wide-angle, free-rotor gyro by connecting the smaller secondary reflector to the gimbal-mounted rotor. A stationary antenna feed and waveguide are arranged inside of the hollow drive shaft. While the rotor, primary and secondary reflectors are spinning, the rotor and secondary reflector attached thereto can be tilted off the spin axis, to which the primary reflector, however, is constrained.
Inventors
- 👤 John L Evans
- 👤 Leonard O Vladimir
- 👤 Thomas Hoffmann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 12:33
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41G; F41G7/00; F41G7/20; F41G7/22; F41G7/2253; F41G7/2213; F41G7/2273; F41G7/2286; H; H01; H01Q; H01Q3/00; H01Q3/12; H01Q3/16; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/12; Y10T74/1282
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
An integrated gyroscope and antenna system, comprising a gyroscope having a normally stationary case, a hollow drive shaft mounted to said case for rotation therein about a spin axis, means in said case for imparting rotation to said drive shaft about said spin axis, a rotor serving as an inertial mass, a flexible coupling for connecting said rotor to said shaft for rotation therewith, said flexible coupling permitting said rotor to tilt off said spin axis while rotating, stator means for torquing said rotor about axes other than said spin axis and for producing an output indicative of the tilt angle thereof, and a composite antenna including an apertured first reflector rigidly connected to the end of said drive shaft adjacent said rotor for rotation with said shaft, a second reflector spaced from said first reflector, support means rigidly connecting said second reflector to said rotor through said first reflector with sufficient clearance to permit maximum tilting of said second reflector with said rotor, antenna feed means stationary with respect to said case mounted in the open end of said hollow drive shaft and protruding through said first reflector, and waveguide means coupled at one end to said feed means extending within said hollow shaft, the opposite end of said waveguide means providing an electrical output and being rigidly interconnected with said case.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
An integrated gyroscope and antenna system, comprising a gyroscope having a normally stationary case, a hollow drive shaft mounted to said case for rotation therein about a spin axis, means in said case for imparting rotation to said drive shaft about said spin axis, a rotor serving as an inertial mass, a flexible coupling for connecting said rotor to said shaft for rotation therewith, said flexible coupling permitting said rotor to tilt off said spin axis while rotating, stator means for torquing said rotor about axes other than said spin axis and for producing an output indicative of the tilt angle thereof, and a composite antenna including an apertured first reflector rigidly connected to the end of said drive shaft adjacent said rotor for rotation with said shaft, a second reflector spaced from said first reflector, support means rigidly connecting said second reflector to said rotor through said first reflector with sufficient clearance to permit maximum tilting of said second reflector with said rotor, antenna feed means stationary with respect to said case mounted in the open end of said hollow drive shaft and protruding through said first reflector, and waveguide means coupled at one end to said feed means extending within said hollow shaft, the opposite end of said waveguide means providing an electrical output and being rigidly interconnected with said case.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said composite antenna is in the form of a Cassegrain antenna.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 2, wherein said first reflector is a primary parabolic reflector and said second reflector is a hyperbolic secondary reflector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 1, further comprising programmed control means for providing control signals to said stator means to torque said rotor such that said rotor with said second reflector executes a predetermined scanning pattern about said spin axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 4, wherein said predetermining scanning pattern is a spiral scan centered about said spin axis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
179 words
The system of claim 1, further comprising search/track control means, including a first programmed control means for producing signals to said stator to torque said rotor such that said rotor with said reflector executes a spiral scan motion about said spin axis in the search mode, second program control means for producing control signals to said stator means to torque said rotor such that said rotor with said second reflector executes a circular scan of predetermined lesser dimensions thAn the overall dimensions of said spiral scan in the track mode, signal processing means operatively receiving the output of said waveguide means for detecting the presence of a target to produce a control signal, switch means responsive to said detector control signal for switching from said first programmed control means to said second programmed control means to initiate said track mode when a target is detected and closed loop control means connected between said signal processing means and said second programmed control means for shifting the center of said circular scan in response to relative displacement of said target therefrom.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said flexible coupling is a dynamically tuned free-rotor support.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
88 words
The system of claim 7, wherein said rotor is a ring-shaped inertial mass normally coaxial with said spin axis and said flexible coupling includes an inner gimbal ring normally coaxial with said spin axis, a pair of aligned flexure pivots having a common axis which intersects said spin axis at right angles connecting said inner gimbal ring to said drive shaft, and a second pair of flexure pivots aligned orthogonally with respect to said first pair of pivots for connecting said ring-shaped rotor to said inner gimbal ring.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 8, wherein each of said flexure pivots includes two mating cylindrical halves interconnected with transverse flexure beams for permitting rotation about the axis of said cylindrical halves.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3789414A
Cited
US3824865A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-04 | 1979-02-03 | 1979-08-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-04 | 1983-02-03 | 1983-08-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-04 | 1987-02-03 | 1987-08-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |