Ray H Morales

US Patent:

7543779, Jun 9, 2009

Filed:

Jan 19, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/625066

Inventors:

James L. Lewis - Houston TX, US
Monty B. Carroll - League City TX, US
Thang D. Le - Friendswood TX, US
Ray H. Morales - Houston TX, US
Brandan R. Robertson - Houston TX, US

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Washington DC

International Classification:

B64G 1/64

US Classification:

2441724, 2441594

Abstract:

An androgynous mating system for mating two exoatmospheric space modules comprising a first mating assembly capable of mating with a second mating assembly; a second mating assembly structurally identical to said first mating assembly, said first mating assembly comprising; a load ring; a plurality of load cell subassemblies; a plurality of actuators; a base ring; a tunnel; a closed loop control system; one or more electromagnets; and one or more striker plates, wherein said one or more electomagnets on said second mating assembly are capable of mating with said one or more striker plates on said first mating assembly, and wherein said one or more striker plates is comprised of a plate of predetermined shape and a 5-DOF mechanism capable of maintaining predetermined contact requirements during said mating of said one or more electromagnets and said one or more striker plates.

US Patent:

20120085176, Apr 12, 2012

Filed:

Oct 7, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/899654

Inventors:

Ray Morales - Houston TX, US
Monty B. Carroll - League City TX, US

International Classification:

G01B 7/16

US Classification:

73773

Abstract:

Provided herein are circuitry, a system and a method for conditioning an analog strain gauge signal in real time in the space environment. The circuitry and system provide means of modulating an excitation waveform input signal which in conjunction with a mechanical load applied to the analog strain gauge generate a modulated strain gauge output signal which is subsequently demodulated as the conditioned analog strain gauge signal. Using spread spectrum modulation on the sensor excitation waveform input signal allows operation without generating high levels of EMI. Subsequent demodulation of the sensor output signal in synchrony with amplitude modulating the sensor excitation waveform input signal provides a conditioned strain gauge signal that is a continuous representation of the load at the strain gauge in real time. Also provided is a method of monitoring a docking maneuver in a space environment.

US Patent:

6354540, Mar 12, 2002

Filed:

Sep 20, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/405301

Inventors:

James L. Lewis - Houston TX
Monty B. Carroll - League City TX
Ray H. Morales - Houston TX
Thang D. Le - Friendswood TX

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Washington WA

International Classification:

B64G 164

US Classification:

244161

Abstract:

The present invention relates to a fully androgynous, reconfigurable closed loop feedback controlled low impact docking system with load sensing electromagnetic capture ring. The docking system of the present invention preferably comprises two docking assemblies, each docking assembly comprising a load sensing ring having an outer face, one of more electromagnets, one or more load cells coupled to said load sensing ring. The docking assembly further comprises a plurality of actuator arms coupled to said load sensing ring and capable of dynamically adjusting the orientation of said load sensing ring and a reconfigurable closed loop control system capable of analyzing signals originating from said plurality of load cells and of outputting real time control for each of the actuators. The docking assembly of the present invention incorporates an active load sensing system to automatically dynamically adjust the load sensing ring during capture instead of requiring significant force to push and realign the ring.