California Institute of Technology

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

Other

United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

Donald B Bickler

Richard Robert Hofer

James M Beggs

Brian D Gallagher

Paul K Henry

Saverio A D'Agostino

Bernd Ross, Deceased

D Daniel LoGiurato

Disclosed herein is a lubrication device comprising a solid lubricant disposed between and in contact with a first electrode and a second electrode dimensioned and arranged such that application of an electric potential between the first electrode and the second electrode sufficient to produce an electric arc between the first electrode and the second electrode to produce a plasma in an ambient atmosphere at an ambient pressure which vaporizes at least a portion of the solid lubricant to produce a vapor stream comprising the solid lubricant. Methods to lubricate a surface utilizing the lubrication device in-situ are also disclosed.

Pulsed plasma lubrication device and method

The spreading pliers of the invention include a pair of handles, self-locking linkage which rotatably couples together the pair of handles, the self-locking linkage including a shank rotatably coupled to the ends of both handles at respective pivot points thereon, a first plier end connected to the shank and a second plier end connected to one of the handles, one of the first and second plier ends permitting the other for pass therebetween to an unspread position, the self-locking linkage rotating the first and second plier ends away from one another as the handles are squeezed together to a spread position.

Adjustable spreading locking pliers

A vehicle is provided which maintains a substantially constant weight, and therefore traction, on all wheels, despite one wheel moving considerably higher or lower than the others, while avoiding a very soft spring suspension. The vehicle includes a chassis or body to be supported and a pair of side suspensions at either side of the body. In a six wheel vehicle, each side suspension includes a middle wheel, and front and rear linkages repectively coupling the front and rear wheels to the middle wheel. A body link pivotally connects the front and rear linkages together, with the middle of the body link rising or falling by only a fraction of the rise or fall of any of the three wheels. The body link pivotally supports the middle of the length of the body. A transverse suspension for suspending the end of the body on the side suspensions includes a middle part pivotally connected to the body about a longitudinal axis and opposite ends each pivotally connected to one of the side suspensions along at least a longitudinal axis.

Articulated suspension system

The sensing head of a two-color band ratioing pyrometer of a known type using a fiber optic cable to couple radiation to dual detector photodiodes is improved to have high spatial resolution by focusing the radiation received through an objective lens (i.e., by focusing the image of a target area) onto an opaque sheet spaced in front of the input end of the fiber optic cable. A two-mil hole in that sheet then passes radiation to the input end of the cable. The detector has two channels, one for each color band, with an electronic-chopper stabilized current amplifier as the input stage followed by an electronic-chopper stabilized voltage amplifier.

High resolution color band pyrometer ratioing

A photovoltaic cell, such as a solar cell, is provided which has a higher output voltage than prior cells. The improved cell includes a substrate of doped silicon, a first layer of silicon disposed on the substrate and having opposite doping, and a second layer of silicon carbide disposed on the first layer. The silicon carbide preferably has the same type of doping as the first layer.

Increased voltage photovoltaic cell

Contact electrodes on a semiconductor device (50) such as a photovoltaic solar cell is formed by screening through a mask (38) onto a surface (40) a pattern of ink containing a dispersion of lower melting, sinterable metal (tin) coated base metal (copper) particles dispersed in a liquid vehicle including a vaporizable binder polymer and a fluorocarbon polymer. On firing the screen coated device (46) in an oven (48) the binder polymer is vaporized, the fluorocarbon vapors etch the surface and the coated metal particles sinter without being oxidized to form an adherent, coherent, contact electrode (53).

Growing community of inventors

Temple City, CA, United States of America

Donald B Bickler