US3920200A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Projectile having a gyroscope
Assignee: Kearfott Guidance and Navigation Corp
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Filing: 1973-12-06
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Granted: 1975-11-18
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Expires: 1993-12-06
Abstract
Abstract A projectile including, a housing, an optical tracker, and a gyroscope disposed within the housing, the housing having a nose section and a base section forming a chamber enclosing the tracker and the gyroscope, the nose section having a window, the optical tracker having an optical lens unit and an image detector unit mounted on the gyroscope, the optical unit being arranged to receive an image through the window and to transmit the image to the image detector unit, the gyroscope comprising, a stator mounted on the base section within the chamber, the stator having a stator axis, a hollow rotor mounted on the stator, the rotor having a rotor axis intersecting the stator axis at a pivot point, anti-friction means disposed between the stator and the rotor, drive means adapted to rotate the rotor relative to the stator about the rotor axis, wherein the stator has a peripheral wall enclosing a recess, the recess being arranged to receive the image detector unit, the stator peripheral wall having a spherical outer surface, the spherical outer surface having a spherical center substantially coinciding with the pivot point.
Inventors
- 👤 John L Evans
- 👤 C John Decotiis
- 👤 Victor P Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 04:17
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41G; F41G7/00; F41G7/20; F41G7/22; F41G7/2273; F41G7/2293; F41G7/2213; F41G7/2253; F42; F42B; F42B15/00; F42B15/01; G; G01; G01C; G01C19/00; G01C19/02; G01C19/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
351 words
A projectile including, a housing, an optical tracker, and a gyroscope disposed within said housing, said housing having a nose section and a base section forming a chamber enclosing said tracker and said gyroscope, said nose section having a window, said optical tracker having an optical lens unit and an image detector unit mounted on said gyroscope, said optical unit being arranged to receive an image through said window and to transmit the image to said image detector unit, said gyroscope comprising, a stator mounted on said base section within said chamber, said stator having a stator axis of symmetry, a hollow rotor mounted on said stator for rotation relative to said stator about a spin axis, said rotor spin axis innersecting said stator axis of symmetry at a pivot point, said stator having an outer surface of spherical shape having a center of sphericity disposed substantially coincident with said pivot point, anti-friction means disposed between said stator outer surface and said rotor inner surface to permit relative angular movement between said rotor and said stator, said rotor having an outer surface of spherical shape which is formed of a magnetic permeable material, said rotor outer surface having a center of sphericity disposed substantially coincident with said pivot point, wide-angle variable reluctant pick-off means for sensing the angle and direction of tilt of said rotor spin axis relative to said stator axis of symmetry, said pick-off means including at least one pick-off unit with a magnetic core having upper and lower surfaces respectfully facing said rotor outer surface and being separated therefrom by respective gaps of uniforM thickness, said rotor outer surface being formed to constitue a highly permeable variable reluctance return path for said pick-off unit core and enabling said pick-off unit to sense over a relatively large tilt angle of said spin axis of said rotor relative to said stator axis of symmetry, drive means adapted to rotate said rotor relative to said stator about said rotor axis, and wherein said stator has a peripheral wall enclosing a recess, said recess being arranged to receive said image detector unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
351 words
A projectile including, a housing, an optical tracker, and a gyroscope disposed within said housing, said housing having a nose section and a base section forming a chamber enclosing said tracker and said gyroscope, said nose section having a window, said optical tracker having an optical lens unit and an image detector unit mounted on said gyroscope, said optical unit being arranged to receive an image through said window and to transmit the image to said image detector unit, said gyroscope comprising, a stator mounted on said base section within said chamber, said stator having a stator axis of symmetry, a hollow rotor mounted on said stator for rotation relative to said stator about a spin axis, said rotor spin axis innersecting said stator axis of symmetry at a pivot point, said stator having an outer surface of spherical shape having a center of sphericity disposed substantially coincident with said pivot point, anti-friction means disposed between said stator outer surface and said rotor inner surface to permit relative angular movement between said rotor and said stator, said rotor having an outer surface of spherical shape which is formed of a magnetic permeable material, said rotor outer surface having a center of sphericity disposed substantially coincident with said pivot point, wide-angle variable reluctant pick-off means for sensing the angle and direction of tilt of said rotor spin axis relative to said stator axis of symmetry, said pick-off means including at least one pick-off unit with a magnetic core having upper and lower surfaces respectfully facing said rotor outer surface and being separated therefrom by respective gaps of uniforM thickness, said rotor outer surface being formed to constitue a highly permeable variable reluctance return path for said pick-off unit core and enabling said pick-off unit to sense over a relatively large tilt angle of said spin axis of said rotor relative to said stator axis of symmetry, drive means adapted to rotate said rotor relative to said stator about said rotor axis, and wherein said stator has a peripheral wall enclosing a recess, said recess being arranged to receive said image detector unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
The projectile as claimed in claim 1, wherein sais rotor has a peripheral wall and an end wall enclosing a cavity, said cavity being arranged to receive said stator, said rotor end wall being arranged to support said optical lens unit, said rotor peripheral wall having a spherical inner surface, said spherical inner surface having a spherical center substantially coinciding with said pivot point.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The projectile as claimed in claim 2, including gas caging means for engaging said rotor during acceleration thereof, and gas supply means for supplying a selective gas to said drive means and to said gas caging means and to said cavity and to said chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The projectile as claimed in claim 3, wherein said gas in said chamber has a selective pressure, and wherein said base section has passage means including valve means controlling said chamber gas pressure relative to ambient gas pressure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The projectile as claimed in claim 3, wherein said anti-friction means includes, a gas bearing gap disposed between said stator outer surface and said rotor inner surface and includes a plurality of gas conduits connecting to said gas bearing gap.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The projectile as claimed in claim 5, wherein said rotor end wall has a plenum space communicating with said gas bearing gap, and wherein said rotor end wall has a plurality of jet members having outlet ports communicating with said plenum space.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The projectile as claimed in claim 1 wherein said optical-lens unit has aan axis aligned with said rotor axis, and wherein said image detector unit has an axis aligned with said stator axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The projectile as claimed in claim 7, wherein said torquer means is arranged to align said rotor axis with a line-of-sight axis to said image detector unit, and wherein said torquer means is arranged to sense the magnitude and direction of the tilt angle between said rotor axis and said line-of-sight axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
The projectile as claimed in claim 2, wherein said rotor has a liner of selective material bonded to said rotor spherical inner surface, said liner having a spherical inner surface facing said stator outer surface, said liner being adapted to transmit acceleration load from said rotor to said stator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
299 words
A projectile comprising, a housing having a chamber, said chamber having a window, a stator disposed inside said chamber, said stator having a stator axis of symmetry said stator having a recess facing said window, image detector means disposed in said recess coaxially therewith, a hollow rotor mounted on said stator for rotation relative to said stator about a spin axis, said rotor spin axis innersecting said stator axis of symmetry at a pivot point, said stator having an outer surface of spherical shape having a center of sphericity disposed substantially coincident with said pivot point; anti-friction means disposed between said stator outer surface and said rotor inner surface to permit relative angular movment between said rotor ans said stator, said rotor having an outer surface of spherical shape which is formed of a magnetic permeable material, said rotor outer surface having a center of sphericity disposed substantially coincident with said pivot point, wide-angle variable relectance pick-off means for sensing the angle and direction of tilt of said rotor spin axis relative to said stator axis of symmetry, said pick-off means including at least one pick-off uniT with a magnetic core having upper and lower surfaces respectfully facing said rotor outer surface and being separated therefrom by respective gaps of uniform thickness, said rotor outer surface being formed to constitute a highly permeable variable reluctance return path for said pick-off unit core and enabling said pick-off unit to sense over a relatively large tilt angle of said spin axis of said rotor relative to said stator axis of symmetry, optical means mounted on said rotor coaxially therewith, said optical means being arranged to face said window, said optical means being arranged to cooperate with said image detector means, and drive means for spinning said rotor relative to said stator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
299 words
A projectile comprising, a housing having a chamber, said chamber having a window, a stator disposed inside said chamber, said stator having a stator axis of symmetry said stator having a recess facing said window, image detector means disposed in said recess coaxially therewith, a hollow rotor mounted on said stator for rotation relative to said stator about a spin axis, said rotor spin axis innersecting said stator axis of symmetry at a pivot point, said stator having an outer surface of spherical shape having a center of sphericity disposed substantially coincident with said pivot point; anti-friction means disposed between said stator outer surface and said rotor inner surface to permit relative angular movment between said rotor ans said stator, said rotor having an outer surface of spherical shape which is formed of a magnetic permeable material, said rotor outer surface having a center of sphericity disposed substantially coincident with said pivot point, wide-angle variable relectance pick-off means for sensing the angle and direction of tilt of said rotor spin axis relative to said stator axis of symmetry, said pick-off means including at least one pick-off uniT with a magnetic core having upper and lower surfaces respectfully facing said rotor outer surface and being separated therefrom by respective gaps of uniform thickness, said rotor outer surface being formed to constitute a highly permeable variable reluctance return path for said pick-off unit core and enabling said pick-off unit to sense over a relatively large tilt angle of said spin axis of said rotor relative to said stator axis of symmetry, optical means mounted on said rotor coaxially therewith, said optical means being arranged to face said window, said optical means being arranged to cooperate with said image detector means, and drive means for spinning said rotor relative to said stator.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-17 | 1979-05-19 | 1979-11-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-17 | 1983-05-19 | 1983-11-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-17 | 1987-05-19 | 1987-11-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |