Trw Limited

The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the

Bruce D Marcus

James W Wehner

Michael J Wehner

George L Fleischman

Donald K Edwards

John A Pohner

A compact delay stage for phase delaying a light signal to provide increased amounts of phase delay to a light signal. A plurality of reflective structures are configured to provide a delay path to the light signal. One of the reflective structures is configured to accept the light signal and direct the light signal between the reflective structures a predetermined selectable number of times until the light signal has completed the delay path thereby translating the light signal into a delay signal. One of the reflective structures is configured to provide egress to the delayed signal to exit the compact delay stage.

Compact, variable length interferometer delay stage

A system for and a method of controlling the temperature of an object (22). Temperature sensors (30) are placed on the object (22) in abutting zones (24) substantially covering a surface of the object (22), so as to detect a temperature in each of the respective zones (24). Temperature adjusting elements (28) are spaced from and thermally coupled to the object (22), to adjust the temperatures of corresponding ones of the respective zones (24). Temperature control circuits (32, 34, 36), responsive to temperatures detected by respective ones of the temperature sensors (30), control the corresponding ones of the temperature adjusting elements (28) to maintain the temperatures of the respective zones (24) within a preset temperature range. When the object (22) is in a cold environment and is to be maintained at a warmer temperature, the temperature adjusting elements (28) are heating elements. Conversely, when the object (22) is in a warm environment and is to be cooled, the temperature adjusting elements (28) are cooling elements. In a preferred embodiment, the number of zones (24) and temperature sensors (30) is equal to the number of temperature adjusting elements (28).

System for and method of controlling the temperature of an object using

Heat pipes containing graded pore non-arterial wicks have substantially improved reliability when compared with those which utilize arteries. Heat pipes having wicks which are optimally graded in pore size in an axial direction, with the pore size decreasing from the condenser to the evaporator end. These graded pore size wicks yield more than twice the capacity of axially uniform pore size wicks having similar geometries.

Graded pore size heat pipe wick

Flat-plate (vapor chamber) heat pipes are made by enclosing metal wicking between two capillary grooved flat panels. These heat pipes provide a unique configuration and have good capacity and conductance capabilities in zero gravity. When these flat-plate vapor chamber heat pipes are heated or cooled, the surfaces are essentially isothermal, varying only 3.degree. to 5.degree. C over the panel surface.

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Los Angeles, CA, United States of America

Bruce D Marcus