Raytheon Company

Samuel T Craig

Scott D Nielsen

Alex E Ockfen

A medical fluid probe includes a heat spreader structure that defines therein a fluid chamber that is in fluid communication with an external environment around the probe, and a thermal energy source in thermal communication with the heat spreader structure. The heat spreader structure functions as both temperature-control elements and structural elements. A variety of separate structure elements, such as the heat pipes, may combine to form the heat spreader structure. The thermal energy source may be used to maintain the temperature of the heat spreader structure, such as by heating and/or cooling the heater spreader structure.

Medical fluid probe with heat spreader structure and thermal energy source

A fluid probe includes a heat spreader structure that defines therein a fluid chamber that is in fluid communication with an external environment of the probe, and a thermal energy source in thermal communication with the heat spreader structure. The heat spreader structure may be made from heat pipes, which function as both temperature-control elements and structural elements. The thermal coupling of the heat spreader structure and the thermal energy source may be used to transfer heat between the two, heating, cooling, and/or maintaining temperature of the heat spreader structure. The fluid probe may have any of a variety of uses, for example being a pitot tube for an aircraft, a fluid sampling device, a medical device, or a device for injecting a fluid.

Fluid probe with heat spreader structure and thermal energy source

A wedge-based heat switch includes a plurality of wedge segments on a shaft, an energy storage element (e.g., a spring or pressurized cavity) configured to store (and release) energy via compression or expansion of the element along the shaft and a temperature activated phase transition material. A temperature stimulus activates the phase transition material to release the stored energy and move the wedge segments axially along the shaft to expand or contract the plurality of wedge segments. The wedge-based heat switch may be configured as a unidirectional switch, either conductive-to-insulating or insulating-to-conductive, or a bi-directional switch. The specific design of the wedge-based heat switch is informed by such factors as unidirectional or bi-directional, required preloading of a surface, conductance ratio between conducting and insulating states, temperature stimulus, switching speed and form factor.

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Samuel T Craig