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University of Central Florida Research Foundation Inc

Vinu B Krishnan

Rajan Vaidyanathan

William U Notardonato

David K Schoenwald

Nhin S Lam

Daniel S Watson

Daniel W Snyder

Ronald D Noebe

Bifurcated leggings such as pants, jeans, trousers, shorts, leggings or pajamas with front flap for providing a convenient access to a front opening of underwear/panties for using a toilet, changing sanitary napkins, performing sexual intercourse, or allow minimally invasive surgical treatment, in the pelvic/vaginal region, without completely removing or pulling down the legged clothing. A front flap extending beyond the crotch area can have fasteners to secure the flap on the sides and plural front buttons to tie the flap on the top. Alternatively, fasteners can be provided to secure the flap from behind, when using the toilet. The flap can be an integral cloth, hinged or attached on the posterior of the pants, and can be Y-shaped or an hourglass shaped and opens in the front. A zipper, zip, fly or zip fastener can bind edges of the fabric opening, based on interlocking teeth.

Pants and similar types with a convenient flap

SM-based actuators () and release mechanisms () therefrom and systems () including one or more release mechanisms (). The actuators () comprise a SM member () and a deformable member () mechanically coupled to the SM member () which deforms upon a shape change of the SM member triggered by a phase transition of the SM member. A retaining element () is mechanically coupled to the deformable member (), wherein the retaining element () moves upon the shape change. Release mechanism () include an actuator, a rotatable mechanism () including at least one restraining feature () for restraining rotational movement of the retaining element () before the shape change, and at least one spring () that provides at least one locked spring-loaded position when the retaining element is in the restraining feature and at least one released position that is reached when the retaining element is in a position beyond the restraining feature (). The rotatable mechanism () includes at least one load-bearing protrusion (). A hitch () is for mechanically coupling to the load, wherein the hitch is supported on the load bearing protrusion () when the rotatable mechanism is in the locked spring-loaded position.

Shape memory-based actuators and release mechanisms therefrom

A thermal conduction switch includes a thermally-conductive first member having a first thermal contacting structure for securing the first member as a stationary member to a thermally regulated body or a body requiring thermal regulation. A movable thermally-conductive second member has a second thermal contacting surface. A thermally conductive coupler is interposed between the first member and the second member for thermally coupling the first member to the second member. At least one control spring is coupled between the first member and the second member. The control spring includes a NiTiFe comprising shape memory (SM) material that provides a phase change temperature &#x3c;273 K, a transformation range &#x3c;40 K, and a hysteresis of &#x3c;10 K. A bias spring is between the first member and the second member. At the phase change the switch provides a distance change (displacement) between first and second member by at least 1 mm, such as 2 to 4 mm.

Shape memory thermal conduction switch

Propulsion from combustion of solid propellant pellet-projectiles for providing a useful propulsion that has the advantages of both solid and liquid propulsion engines, and also can make use of either solid chemical propellants or fissionable nuclear material as the fuel. Preferred methods and systems can include a storage chamber for storing solid propellant pellets, a feeding system having a pellet feeding channel and a pellet feeding mechanism connected to the storage chamber and to a gun assembly, which is positioned along a longitudinal axis to eject the pellets at a certain velocity. A triggering system positioned between gun assembly and thrust chamber can initiate the propellant pellet-projectile, and a thrust chamber having a combustion chamber for combustion of propellant pellet-projectile with an exhaust nozzle. Additionally, an auxiliary power system can be used to power the components and various electrical and electronic systems that may be present in the invention for controlling the engine components. The gun assembly may include an ejector mechanism for ejecting the propellant pellets through at least one barrel. The triggering system can produce a medium creating an ambience for the initiation of propellant pellet-projectiles. Methods and systems can be used for space and rocket crafts, turbojets and ramjets.

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Orlando, FL, United States of America

Vinu B Krishnan