Other

Nanoco Technologies Limited

Peterson Science & Technology, Inc.

University of Texas System

Nanoscale Engineering and Technology Corporation

Dennis Roger Peterson

Dennis Wilson

Joseph A Peterson

Darrin Lee Willauer

Mary L Peterson

William F Weldon

Raymond C Zowarka

John H Gully

Jim L Upshaw

Mike L Spann

Damon A Weeks

Dispenser for maintaining length of flexible line extending from a spool

A method of producing nanocrystalline ceramic powder by creating a plasma stream in a reactor vessel, and physically converting a ceramic precursor material into ceramic particles suspended in the vessel, using the plasma stream. A metallic reactant may additionally be introduced into the vessel using the plasma stream, wherein the metallic reactant forms ceramic particles having the same composition as the ceramic particles of the physical converting step. The plasma stream is created using an electrothermal gun. The gun may use a ceramic barrel which is eroded by the plasma stream. Alternatively (or additionally), the ceramic precursor material may be injected as particulates into the plasma stream, wherein the ceramic precursor particulates are micron-sized or larger. A novel electrothermal gun design may optionally use a replaceable insert constructed of the ceramic precursor material.

Method and apparatus for direct electrothermal-physical conversion of ceramic into nanopowder

A process for synthesizing nanosized powders utilizes a hybrid exploding wire device containing a solid metal wire fuse in the bore of a tube that is open at each end. The ends of the fuse are connected to electrodes on the ends of the tube. The electrodes are designed to erode to maintain a heavy metal plasma. The bore may comprise a corresponding ceramic to be produced, and a microcrystalline powder of a corresponding ceramic may be retained within the bore. An electrical discharge vaporizes and ionizes the fuse. The tube confines the radial expansion of the plasma such that the plasma exits from both ends of the tube where it reacts with a suitable gas to form nanoscale particles. In addition, the plasma gas ablates and vaporizes a portion of the bore wall to contribute to the nanoceramic synthesis. Other alternatives include replacing the fuse with a thin conductive sheath or a consumable metal insert.

Method and apparatus for producing bulk quantities of nano-sized materials by electrothermal gun synthesis

A rotary device for automatically dispensing and retracting a line, such as cutting filament for a vegetation trimmer, has a spool around which is wound a small coil of the line. The line has a cutting segment that extends radially from the spool. The cutting segment has a precise length that is automatically maintained by a balance of centrifugal force and aerodynamic drag. The rotary device also has additional storage capacity for the line. An additional supply of line for the rotary device beyond the small coil may be stored in many different forms while remaining ready for immediate deployment and use. Examples include extended storage loops of the line protruding from the spool, a second coil or reservoir of line located remotely from the spool, or a magazine of the line mounted to the spool.

Rotary device for automatically deploying and retracting a cord-like element from a storage device

Method and apparatus for simplified, fully automatic spool filament impeller for use in vegetation trimmer cutting heads and other applications

A cutting head for a rotary flail retains a coil portion of a cutting line on a spool, and feeds a portion of an excess of the cutting line to the spool to adjust the coil portion and thereby restore a length of the distal portion of the cutting line to maintain a cutting circle of desired size. The distal portion of the cutting line is extended by locating the coil portion such that a centrifugal force arising from rotation of the distal portion overcomes a drag force on the coil portion to unwind a precise amount of the coil portion from the spool. A magazine stores the excess of the cutting line, disposed in a helical path defining a helix having an axis which generally coincides with the axis of the spool. The cutting head has no moving parts, high storage capacity and multiple independent automatic line capability.

Device for flexible line vegetation trimmers and other applications

A railgun operates at high pressure (up to 350 MPa) without structural damage and is readily disassembled for inspection, maintenance and component testing. A rail assembly is pressed into a hoop-wound epoxy fiberglass containment tube and clamped within a steel compression frame. The geometry of the rail assembly permits rail movement without insulator intrusion and achieves bore sealing during rail movement at maximum pressure. The rail assembly also has replaceable insulator inserts which are isolated from rail re-bound shock. Fused quartz insulator inserts provide the best results. A flash tube is provided at the gun muzzle to suppress precursor discharge and commutate precursor current back to the armature. To realize increased velocity without sacrificing in-bore projectile stability, a cut-corner projectile is used having a L/D ratio as small as 0.65 which reduces the mass by about 11%.

High performance electromagnetic railgun launcher

A method of and apparatus for accelerating a filament wherein an impelling force is applied to a length of filament a torque arm distance from an axis of rotation to rotate the length of filament about the axis of rotation thereby developing a tip speed that is of sufficient velocity for using the tip portion to cut a workpiece and, alternatively, to sequentially release the moving tip portion to discharge a series of particles for performing welding, drilling, coating, cutting and like operations. The length of filament, preferably, is the end section of a coil of filament and is simultaneously advanced along the longitudinal axis of the length of filament toward the tip portion during the application of said impelling forces. The advancement of the filament is controlled. The enclosure of the filament in an evacuated space increases the speed range.

Method and apparatus for accelerating a filament and the like

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Dennis Roger Peterson