The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 21, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 26, 1999
Brian Marland, Ellicott City, MD (US);
Charles J. Stouffer, Kensington, MD (US);
Swales Aerospace, Beltsville, MD (US);
Abstract
A cryogenic thermal switch operates based on the principle of differential coefficients of thermal expansion of differing materials. A small gap is either closed or opened, dependant upon the relative dimensions of two pieces of differing materials. As the temperature of the pieces is raised, the piece having the greater coefficient of thermal expansion (C,) increases its dimensions at a greater rate, causing a gap to open up. Conversely, when the temperature of the pieces is lowered, the piece having the greater C,shrinks proportionally faster, thereby closing the gap. The present invention makes use of a reliable flat-faced geometry for the two sides of the gap.