Other

Xerox Corporation

Pulse Engineering, Inc.

Igor Abramov

Steven A Buhler

Parviz P Mazdiyasni

A satellite with a primary imaging mirror fabricated while in space is described. The primary mirror is formed by solidifying liquid precursor material which assumes a paraboloid shape upon certain rotational maneuvers of the satellite. The primary mirror is preferably formed from a molten metal which creates a rigid paraboloid primary mirror upon solidification. The mirror material can be pre-melted prior to launch and carried to orbit while liquid, or it can be stored as a solid and melted in space to create the mirror.

Imaging satellite having mirror formed from liquid and two-axis rotational configuration

Described are several embodiments of parabolic reflective antenna systems where a flexible primary reflector is supported by radial ribs of shape memory material deployed by application of heat. Several feeds made with shape memory materials working with the reflector are presented. Feed preforms include corrugated, telescopic and flattened ribbon types which extend or unfurl into final shapes upon application of heat. Several antenna and feed embodiments also contain supports for secondary reflectors and patch antennas.

Shape memory deployable antenna system

Described are several embodiments of parabolic reflective antenna systems where rigid parabolic dishes based on shape memory materials are deployed to full size and shape from compact pre-folded preforms by application of heat. Several shape memory feeds working with the dishes are presented. Feed preforms include corrugated, telescopic and flattened ribbon types which extend or unfurl into final shapes upon application of heat. Several dish and feed embodiments also contain supports for secondary reflectors and patch antennas.

Shape memory deployable rigid antenna system

Degradable water- and oil-resistant article is made of chitin and contains water-activated chitin-degrading enzyme or enzymes. Initially supplied in an inactive lyophilized (dry) form, the enzyme or enzymes upon exposure to water present in ambient environment degrade chitin-based article to chitosan, a benign compound. Several article embodiments presented, some with water ingress retardant features.

Degradable article

A disposable degradable drinking straw made of chitin contains water-activated degrading enzymes. Initially in inactive lyophilized (dry) form, the enzymes upon exposure to ambient water in environment degrade chitin-based drinking straw to chitosan, a benign compound.

Degradable drinking straw

An obturator ring () for a mortar round () is proposed where the geometry of the ring () is modified by its sliding and striking stationary anvil () when the round () is placed in the muzzle-loaded mortar's barrel () and reaches its bottom. The initial ring () geometry does not impede round's travel down the barrel () while its modified geometry provides a gas seal between the round () and the barrel () wall. Several embodiments featuring free-rotating (), splined non-rotational () and stationary separated (-) designs are presented. The ring works with both smoothbore and rifled mortar barrels and in several embodiments imparts rotation to the round () if used in a rifled barrel (). An optimized muzzle-loaded mortar barrel () operating in cooperation with rounds equipped with the obturator ring of instant invention is also presented, containing rifled () and smoothbore () sections.

Mortar system with improved gas seal

Several embodiments of an automatic external defibrillation system () comprising external interconnected defibrillator modules () and () are described. The modules () and (), upon detection of ventricular fibrillation (VF) by microcomputer () via sensing electrodes () automatically insert defibrillation electrodes () into patient's body () and commence delivering defibrillating pulse from the pulse generator () to the patient's heart. An integral defibrillation system () having articulating defibrillating elements () and () conforming to patient's body () is also described. Defibrillation electrodes () of embodiment () are automatically inserted into patient's body in a helical motion, while their counterparts () of embodiments () and () are automatically inserted in an essentially downward motion.

Automatic defibrillation system

Disclosed are several embodiments of a battery-less piezo-electric defibrillation system () comprising external piezo-electric defibrillator () and at least one electrode () connected thereto. The system includes a piezo-electric generator () connected to direct cardiac access&#x2014;(), or indirect subcutaneous electrode assemblies (). The piezo-electric generator () is energized by a spring-driven striker element () and produces electrical pulse for defibrillation. The direct cardiac access electrodes () engage the heart muscle directly via the intercostal space. Alternatively, indirect subcutaneous electrodes () are positioned under patient's skin.

Piezo-electric defibrillation system

Several embodiments of a battlefield defibrillation system () comprising external defibrillator () and at least one electrode () connected thereto are described. The system includes direct cardiac access (), or indirect subcutaneous electrodes (). The direct cardiac access electrodes () engage the heart muscle directly via the intercostal space. Indirect subcutaneous electrodes are positioned under patient's skin. Several design features are implemented to aid precise electrode positioning and facilitate system operation by an untrained personnel.

Battlefield defibrillation system

A portable non-contact tonometer () for measuring Intra-Ocular Pressure (IOP) of subject's eye is presented. Tonometer () is designed to be operated by the subject himself. It is housed in a hand-held case () which contains compressed air source (), eye alignment detectors (), cornea applanation detector system (), a pressure sensor () and optical system for presenting gaze target (). The animated gaze target () advantageously draws subject's attention to itself and keeps his eye () in alignment long enough for the measurement to take place, while optionally displaying system status and operating instructions. An audio annunciation system () guides the subject in the operation of the tonometer and prepares him for the actual procedure. The timing of the air puff is randomized to prevent subject's conditioning. The overall operation of the tonometer is controlled by a built-in microprocessor () system. A 3-D map of cornea is computed and a technique to compute the IOP derived from the difference of 3-D corneal maps before and during the air puff application is disclosed.

Portable non-contact tonometer and method of determining intra-ocular pressure using such

A dual mode grenade () is selectively operational in lethal and non-lethal modes. The grenade () contains a hard back () containing fuse/safing assembly (), and the central explosive charge () surrounded respectively by non-lethal (N-L) projectiles (), N-L case (), and the removable lethal fragmentation shell (). The grenade operates in lethal fragmentation mode when all its components are present and the fragmentation shell bursts into plurality of lethal projectiles (). The N-L operation of the grenade is effected by the removal of the fragmentation shell () whereby N-L projectiles are allowed to eject outwards in response to the bursting of explosive charge ().

Dual mode grenade

A device for storage of earpiece cords normally used with cellular telephones, portable radios and such. The device () includes an elongated base () with keeper tangs () on its top surface, each having outwardly pointing. The cord () is wrapped around the keeper tangs () and its free end is secured by two compliant tangs (), () provided for this purpose on the base (). The device () is attached to the case of the cellular phone or portable radio with an adhesive layer (). In alternate embodiment, the device () has a pivoting keeper tang () which enables quick and easy release of the cord from its wound position. Another embodiment () has a hinged keeper tang () which also serves to quickly remove the cord. Additional embodiment () consists of two parts (), () where part () slides into part () in order to adjust the overall length of the device to conform to the case of the cellular phone or portable radio. Another embodiment () consists of two independent parts (), () which can be independently attached to the case of the cellular phone or portable radio.

Cord storage device

A monolithic inductor (,) comprises an elongated substrate having opposite distal ends (,) and (,), each end having an end cap extending from the opposite ends to support the substrate (,) in spaced relation from a PC board, the end caps being formed with non-mounting areas and a deflection area for preventing the substrate resting on the non-mounting area, a substantially steep side wall (,) on the substrate side of the end cap (,) at the non-mounting area, and an inclined ramp extending up to a top of the end cap on the substrate side substantially opposite the non-mounting area, an electrically conductive soldering band (,) extending partially around each end cap, each soldering band having a gap (,) at the non-mounting area for thereby reducing parasitic conduction in the band (,), and an electrically conductive layer formed on the substrate in a helical path extending between the opposite ends and in electrical contact with the conductive soldering bands (,) at the ramps (,).

Method of manufacture of an improved monolithic inductor

A monolithic inductor (10) comprises an elongated substrate having opposite distal ends (14) and (16), each end having an end cap extending from the opposite ends to support the substrate (12) in spaced relation from a PC board, the end caps being formed with non-mounting areas and a deflection area for preventing the substrate resting on the non-mounting area, a substantially steep side wall (16) on the substrate side of the end cap (14) at the non-mounting area, and an inclined ramp extending up to a top of the end cap on the substrate side substantially opposite the non-mounting area, an electrically conductive soldering band (30) extending partially around each end cap, each soldering band having a gap (34) at the non-mounting area for thereby reducing parasitic conduction in the band (30), and an electrically conductive layer formed on the substrate in a helical path extending between the opposite ends and in electrical contact with the conductive soldering bands (30) at the ramps (120).

Monolithic inductor

A trimmable inductor, comprises a supporting substrate (12) having spaced apart lead terminals, a coil (20) defined by an electrically conductive member mounted on the substrate in a continuous path of multiple turns forming a winding about an axis and extending between the lead terminals, and an electric conductive shorting member (30) extending and electrically connected between one or more turns (20) and (22) a terminal of the coil to enable selective inclusion and elimination of at least part of one of the turns of the coil.

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Vista, CA, United States of America

Igor Abramov