Abstract: A food storage and preparation device (10, 50, 100) is provided for more rapidly cooling or heating a mass of food or other product contained within a storage pan. The device includes a plurality of air contact fins (20) which rapidly convey heat to and from the ambient surrounding air and a plurality of food contact fins (22, 56, 106) which are inserted within the mass of food to increase the surface area of the food exposed to a heat transfer surface to more rapidly transfer heat to or from the mass of food.

Abstract: A food storage and preparation device (10, 50, 100) is provided for more rapidly cooling or heating a mass of food or other product contained within a storage pan. The device includes a plurality of air contact fins (20) which rapidly convey heat to and from the ambient surrounding air and a plurality of food contact fins (22, 56, 106) which are inserted within the mass of food to increase the surface area of the food exposed to a heat transfer surface to more rapidly transfer heat to or from the mass of food.

Abstract: A food storage and preparation device (10, 50, 100, 200) is provided for more rapidly cooling or heating a mass of food or other product contained within a storage pan. The device includes a plurality of air contact fins (20) which rapidly convey heat to and from the ambient surrounding air and a plurality of food contact fins (22, 56, 106) which are inserted within the mass of food to increase the surface area of the food exposed to a heat transfer surface to more rapidly transfer heat to or from the mass of food.

Abstract: A food storage and preparation device (10, 50, 100, 200) is provided for more rapidly cooling or heating a mass of food or other product contained within a storage pan. The device includes a plurality of air contact fins (20) which rapidly convey heat to and from the ambient surrounding air and a plurality of food contact fins (22, 56, 106) which are inserted within the mass of food to increase the surface area of the food exposed to a heat transfer surface to more rapidly transfer heat to or from the mass of food.

Abstract: A food storage and preparation device (10, 50, 100, 200) is provided for more rapidly cooling or heating a mass of food or other product contained within a storage pan. The device includes a plurality of air contact fins (20) which rapidly convey heat to and from the ambient surrounding air and a plurality of food contact fins (22, 56, 106) which are inserted within the mass of food to increase the surface area of the food exposed to a heat transfer surface to more rapidly transfer heat to or from the mass of food.

Abstract: A shape memory alloy actuator is disclosed. In one arrangement, a louvered window covering, such as a vertical or horizontal venetian blind, is provided with a thermal actuator to automatically rotate slats forming the louvered window covering between open and closed positions. The actuator includes at least one shape memory alloy spring that, when heated above a predetermined temperature, extends to engage and move a rack that drives a pinion gear. The pinion gear rotates, through a coupling mechanism, a rod extending the length of the blind. A second shape memory alloy spring may be installed to rotate the rod in the opposite direction. The rod intercouples the slats in a manner such that the rotation of the rod rotates the slats in unison between closed and open positions. The shape memory alloy spring may be heated with a current supplied by a controller in response to a predetermined environmental condition.

Abstract: An expandable ogive is disclosed which incorporates a plurality of sections (20, 22, 24) which move into an extended position. The ogive is locked in the extended position by mating tapered surfaces on the piston sections of an actuator (44) which are tapered at an angle of less than about 2.degree. relative to the center line axis of the missile or rocket. The mating surfaces lock sufficiently tightly to resist the aerodynamic loadings on the ogive during missile or rocket flight and therefore maintain the proper ogive configuration independent of the gas pressure in the actuator (44) which initially moves the ogive sections into the extended position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a multidirectional clamping force to clamp selected materials together is disclosed and comprises a tube formed into a closed circular shape and formed of martensitic material and deformed in a first predetermined direction such that the cross-section of said tube is non-circular. An energetic material is loaded into the interior cavity of the tube. An ignition system is operatively positioned with respect to the tube and is capable of igniting the energetic material. Upon ignition of the energetic material, the tube is reconfigured to provide a clamping force in a predetermined direction to clamp the materials together.

Abstract: A louvered window covering, such as a vertical or horizontal venetian blind, is provided with a thermal actuator to automatically rotate slats forming the louvered window covering between open and closed positions. The actuator includes at least one memory alloy spring that, when heated above a predetermined temperature, extends to engage and move a rack that drives a pinion gear. The pinion gear rotates, through a coupling mechanism, a rod extending the length of the blind. A second memory alloy spring may be installed to rotate the rod in the opposite direction. The rod intercouples the slats in a rewiner such that the rotation of the rod rotates the slats in unison between closed and open positions. The memory alloy spring may be heated with a current supplied to a controller in response to a predetermined environmental condition.

Abstract: A portion of a chalcogenide transformation film in a less reflective phase responds to a low energy laser beam writing pulse by transforming to a crystalline phase. A marmem alloy, secured to the bottom side of the film, responds to a longer erasing pulse of a lower energy laser beam at the same portion by physically stressing the film only at that same portion. The film portion responds to the physical stress by transforming back to a less reflective phase. An optical reader interprets the crystalline phase as a digital logic "1", and the less reflective phase as a digital logic "0".

Abstract: An apparatus for translating motive energy includes a rotor structure, having mutually spaced rotor members, adapted to react with fluids within the housing. In one embodiment, the rotor structure is rotationally driven by an external power plant for pumping fluids through a tangentially oriented outlet duct. In a second embodiment, the apparatus is driven by fluid under pressure which is conducted toward the rotor structure through an inlet aligned with peripheral portions of the rotor members, for rotationally driving the rotor structure. A variable geometry inlet control system is provided for controlling fluid flow in response to varying flow conditions and for directioning fluid flow to a portion of the rotor structure. The apparatus incorporates a structural configuration which permits its construction of carbonized composite materials, for operation at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: A composite material manufacturing process and resulting structure is provided to include high strength material whiskers (20) having a characteristic orientation when placed in an electromagnetic field (22). In one embodiment, whiskers (20) are disposed between lamina (10 and 15) and oriented generally perpendicular to the fiber layers (14 and 18). The whisker (20) orientation is maintained during a curing cycle for the respective matrices (12 and 16) wherein the matrix viscosity allows the whiskers (20) to orient in response to the applied electromagnetic field (22). The whiskers (20) retain their orientation in the resulting laminate to provide improved structural integrity for the laminate.