Abstract:
A method is provided for making a composite laminate aircraft skin for a fuselage in multiple composite panels. A resin-impregnated composite tape is placed on a lay-up surface of a mandrel tool to form the composite laminate aircraft skin as a barrel that is substantially the shape of a fuselage section. The barrel is cut into a plurality of panels on the mandrel tool, and at least one panel of the plurality of panels is transferred, individually and independently of all other of the plurality of panels, from the lay-up surface of the mandrel tool to a first cure tool of a plurality of cure tools having an aero surface tooled to an outer mold line. The at least one of the panels is cured on the first cure tool to form a cured composite panel. The first cure tool defines and controls the outer mold line of the at least one panel. The cured composite panel is removed from the first cure tool.
Abstract:
A method of transferring an uncured composite laminate skin from a lay-up surface of a male mandrel tool to a female cure tool includes defining multiple vacuum zones on the lay-up surface, each zone corresponding to one of a multiple of portions into which the skin is to be separated. For example, to separate the skin into two portions, a low profile seal of a first membrane to the lay-up surface is formed at a first vacuum zone and a second low profile seal for a second membrane is formed at a second vacuum zone. The method further includes laying up a composite laminate skin over all the vacuum zones; separating the composite laminate skin into portions, for example, a first portion over the first vacuum zone and a second portion over the second vacuum zone; and releasing the portions individually into cure tools having an outside mold line surface.
Abstract:
There is described a focusing apparatus having a deformable membrane that at least partially defines a cavity and an optical fluid disposed in the cavity. An actuator assembly can be provided for imparting a force to the deformable membrane. In one embodiment, the actuator assembly can include a piezoelectric actuator.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for forming a composite workpiece are provided. An electromagnetic field generator induces a current in a susceptor, thereby heating the workpiece in a die cavity. An elastomeric bladder in the cavity is inflated and urges the workpiece against a contour surface corresponding to a desired configuration of the workpiece. Coolant fluid can also be circulated through the die cavity to cool the workpiece. Thus, the workpiece can be heated, formed, and cooled quickly and without substantial heating of other components, thereby reducing the time and energy relative to conventional forming methods.
Abstract:
A weapons system is disclosed that provides hot-start navigational information to the Global-Positioning-System receivers on missiles prior to flight. The system comprises a Global-Positioning-System receiver that uses a classified red cryptographic key to decode the P(Y) signal from one or more of the Global-Positioning-System constellation of satellites. Once the P(Y) signal is decoded, one or more characteristics (e.g., the PRN code synchronization, the Doppler shift, the modulation bit sequence, etc.) of the signal is derived. These characteristics of the signal—and some other information including a black cryptographic key that comprises the red cryptographic key—are then provided to the Global-Positioning-System receivers on missiles prior to flight. By giving the missiles this information, the missiles are able to acquire the P(Y) signals themselves more quickly than they otherwise could, which enables them to determine their position more quickly than they otherwise could.
Abstract:
A circular saw blade in which tooth assemblies are pivotally mounted along the periphery of the disc spaced apart at equal angular distances. Each tooth assembly has a U-shaped tooth wedging member pivotally mounted on the disc. The tooth is secured between the disc and the wedging member. Pivotal movement of the tooth wedging member in one direction wedges the tooth between the disc and the tooth wedging member. Pivotal movement of the tooth wedging member in an opposite direction releases the tooth from the wedging action between the disc and the wedging member. A cam locking member is rotatably mounted on the disc adjacent the wedging member. Rotation of the cam locking member in one direction locks the tooth wedging member in the tooth wedging mode. Rotation of the cam locking member in an opposite direction unlocks the tooth wedging member to enable the tooth to be released from the wedging action between the disc and the tooth wedging member.
Abstract:
An age verification payment card and method that employs a card wherein the card has a first embedded chip and a second embedded chip. The present invention includes a first chip for providing financial authorization for a purchase and a second chip that provides age verification of the cardholder to ensure that the cardholder meets any minimum age requirement for a purchase having that requirement. The method includes a step of collecting and verifying the age of the card applicant during the application process. This data is stored on the second embedded chip so as to provide the retailer a technique to verify the age of the cardholder wherein an age limit may be applicable to a purchase. The present invention will provide an age alert to a retailer in the event that the cardholder does not meet the minimum age requirement for the purchase being attempted.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention comprise an indicia reading terminal including a focus element that extends the range of focus distances at which the indicia reading terminal can decode decodable indicia. In one embodiment, the focus element comprises a variable form element and a variable position element, the combination of which causes an image distance that can change in accordance with a separation distance between these two elements. The focus element can comprise an actuator, e.g., a piezoelectric actuator, which can be coupled to the variable position element in a manner that can cause the variable position element to deform the variable form element, and in one example, the deformation changes the focal length of the variable form element.