Patents by Inventor Ying-Yan Kuo

Ying-Yan Kuo has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5332030
    Abstract: A passive thermal control system for use in a spacecraft or satellite. The system uses at least two heat pipe and radiator systems connected to a heat generating load of the spacecraft. The radiators are located at different sides of the spacecraft. The heat pipes can be prevented from transferring heat from the radiators to the heat generating load such that a first radiator can be exposed to heat from sunlight while the second radiator and heat pipe can still operate to remove heat from the heat generating load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: Space Systems/Loral, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan L. Spencer, Ying-Yan Kuo
  • Patent number: 4871012
    Abstract: A variable conductance thermal insulation blanket regulates the temperature of a component (20) on the surface (32) of a spacecraft. The blanket comprises a sealed container (2) and a pressurized gas tank (10). When gas is introduced from the tank (10) into the sealed container (20), heat is conducted away from the component (20) into outer space via conduction through the gas molecules. Thus, component (20) is cooled. When gas is evacuated from within sealed container (2) and there is a vacuum there-within, heat conduction is thwarted, and the primary means of heat escape from component (20) is via radiation. However, radiation is also thwarted by means of a set of stacked radiation sheilds (24) having low emissivity but high thermal conductivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Assignee: Ford Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Ying-Yan Kuo