Methods and apparatus to measure mass in low gravity environments
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorKevin Cannon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus to measure mass in low gravity environments are disclosed. A disclosed example low-gravity mass-measuring apparatus includes a coupler to couple a coupling portion to an object, the coupling portion including a first inertial measurement unit (IMU), a force device to provide a force to cause a movement of a dock relative to the coupling portion, where the dock is releasably couplable to the coupling portion and includes a second IMU, and a processor to calculate a mass of the object based on movement data from the first and second IMUs and the force.
Claims19
A low-gravity mass-measuring apparatus comprising:
- a coupler to couple a coupling portion to an object, the coupling portion including a first inertial measurement unit (IMU);
- a force device to provide a force to release a dock from the coupling portion and cause a movement of the dock relative to the coupling portion, the dock releasably couplable to the coupling portion and including a second IMU, the force device including a solenoid to move a magnet of the coupling portion away from the dock;
- and
- a processor to calculate a mass of the object based on movement data from the first and second IMUs and the force.
A method of measuring a mass of an object in a low gravity environment, the method comprising:
- coupling a coupling portion to the object;
- directing a force, via a force device, to cause the coupling portion to release from a dock that is releasably couplable to the coupling portion, the force device including a solenoid to move a magnet of the coupling portion away from the dock;
- and
- obtaining first movement data of the coupling portion and second movement data of the dock;
- and
- calculating, using a processor, a mass of the object based on the first and second movement data, and the force.
A non-transitory machine readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed, cause a processor to at least:
- determine a force during release of a coupling portion from a dock in a low gravity environment, wherein the coupling portion is coupled to an object, the force caused by a solenoid of the dock moving a magnet of the coupling portion away from the dock;
- and
- calculate a mass of the object based on the force and movement data, wherein the movement data is measured during separation of the coupling portion from the dock.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.