Investigation of Miniature G-Hardened Electromechanical Clocks - a Differential-Motion Clock

摘要

Electromechanical clocks for use in high-spin acceleration environments are explored. Criteria of design to insure instrument survival and functioning in the environment are stated. Problems caused by high acceleration such as increased power consumption, frictional losses, inertial coupling due to spin, unbalanced torque loading, and mechanical stresses and deflections are discussed. The concept of micronization as a solution to many of these problems is advanced. Novel design concepts for clock transducers are described incorporating magnetostrictive, electrostrictive, and electrostatic principles. An electromagnetic, differential-motion clock and several typical electronic drive circuits are described. Numerical computations relative to stresses, power drain, and other effects are given in the appendix. (Author)