Kenneth L Willis

US Patent:

55875505, Dec 24, 1996

Filed:

Mar 23, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/409258

Inventors:

Kenneth E. Willis - Redwood City CA
William D. Fahey - Cupertino CA
David S. Whang - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Quantic Industries, Inc. - San Carlos CA

International Classification:

F23Q 700

US Classification:

102217

Abstract:

This invention relates to a circuit and method for generating sequential, multiple impulses for use in firing or initiating more than one output device. The invention permits the firing, or actuation, of multiple devices at different times. The disclosed invention is an improvement on existing designs for multiple output impulse cartridges. This multi-output impulse cartridge has self-contained an electrical circuit and electrical energy storage capacitors which allow a single, short pulse of input current to initiate a first output, time out a second or multiple later outputs, and fire the outputs from the remaining energy stored on the capacitors.

US Patent:

59124270, Jun 15, 1999

Filed:

Jan 31, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/381170

Inventors:

Kenneth Ellsworth Willis - Redwood City CA
Martin Gerald Richman - Salinas CA
William David Fahey - Cupertino CA
John Gareth Richards - San Jose CA
David S. Whang - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Quantic Industries, Inc. - San Carlos CA

International Classification:

F42B 313

US Classification:

1022028

Abstract:

This invention discloses a method of fabricating an electroexplosive device which utilizes a semiconductor bridge as an ignition element. The semiconductor bridge is electrically connected to a metal header by a small, low resistance contact to the extension of bridge material and through an insulating silicon substrate to an eutectic bond created by gold plating on the metal header and the silicon. The second electrode of the bridge circuit is connected via wire bonds to one or two conducting pins which penetrate the metal header and are insulated by surrounding glass. A redundant connection via two conducting pins insulated from the header to one electrode of the semiconductor bridge allows a post assembly test of the integrity of the wire bonds, thereby increasing reliability of the device.

US Patent:

50638467, Nov 12, 1991

Filed:

Dec 21, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/454561

Inventors:

Kenneth E. Willis - Redwood City CA
Robert R. Durrell - Moss Beach CA

Assignee:

Hughes Aircraft Company - Los Angeles CA

International Classification:

F23Q 722

US Classification:

102215

Abstract:

A modular electronic safe arm device (MESAD) (10) for arming and igniting an explosive is universal in application and employs a standard circuit architecture which uses application specific logic modules (12) and (14), a standard voltage control module (16), and standard high energy firing modules (18) and (20). In the preferred embodiment, the logic modules (12) and (14) are state machines using clocked sequential logic and having read-only-memories. The logic modules (12) and (14) generate dynamic arming signals at outputs (54) and (76) which cause the voltage control module (16) in conjunction with transformer (102), to convert a low voltage input (98) to a high voltage output (100). The high voltage output (100) is used to charge firing capacitors (112) and (138) in standard high energy firing modules (18) and (20). Logic module (14) generates two trigger signals at outputs (76) and (78) for activating the trigger modules (126) and (148).