Abstract: A method, apparatuses and chemical compositions are provided for producing high purity hydrogen from water. Metals or alloys capable of reacting with water and producing hydrogen in aqueous solutions at ambient conditions are reacted with one or more inorganic hydrides capable of releasing hydrogen in aqueous solutions at ambient conditions, one or more transition metal compounds are used to catalyze the reaction and, optionally, one or more alkali metal-based compounds. The metal or alloy is preferably aluminum. The inorganic hydride is from a family of complex inorganic hydrides; most preferably, NaBH4. The transition metal catalyst is from the groups VIII and IB; preferably, Cu and Fe. The alkali metal-based compounds are preferably NaOH, KOH, and the like. Hydrogen generated has a purity of at least 99.99 vol. % (dry basis), and is used without further purification in all types of fuel cells, including the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 2, 2006
Date of Patent:
September 28, 2010
Assignee:
University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
Abstract: Structures, devices, systems and methods of using multi-domain vertical alignment liquid crystal displays with high transmittance, high contrast ratio and wide view angle in which at least one of the electrode substrates has circular or ring-shaped openings, such as holes or slits. Circular or ring-shaped patterns for openings and electrodes have not been used in the construction of a liquid crystal display. The new multi-domain vertical alignment (MDVA) liquid crystal display is particularly suitable for liquid crystal display television and computer monitor applications.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 3, 2008
Date of Patent:
September 28, 2010
Assignees:
University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc., Toppoly Optoelectronics Corp.
Inventors:
Ruibo Lu, Qi Hong, Shin-Tson Wu, Thomas X. Wu
Abstract: Devices, apparatus, systems and methods of mounting ammunition holders for side loading machine guns and weapons that downwardly eject spent cartridges. The ammunition holders include a side place that both moves the center of gravity of the left side supported ammunition holder to move in a right direction underneath the machine gun until the ammunition holder is balanced relative to the machine gun. The side plate further deflects the spent cartridges from being directly ejected downward from the machine gun and instead deflect the spent cartridges to one side of the machine gun away from both the machine gun and an operator of the gun. The ammunition containers can be ammunition belt boxes. The ammunition containers can be ammunition pouch bags.
Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, and device to provide an effective, automatic means to effect exhaust, supply, or balanced ventilation, or a combination thereof, by automatically activating a ventilation fan for the selected operation time per cycle interval based on prior fan operation due to automatic cycle operation and user demand. In a second embodiment the ventilation fan controller automatically activates said ventilation fan in conjunction with operation of a blower of a central air conditioning system. In a third embodiment, the ventilation fan controller also automatically operates the blower for the selected operation time per blower cycle interval, including operation due to thermostat and/or humidistat demand and operates the ventilation fan in conjunction with operation of the blower and/or for the minimal time selected per interval, including operation due to user demand. Optionally, a position of an outside air intake damper is controlled in conjunction with activation of the blower.
Abstract: An electrically driven wheel for a tracked vehicle which includes a driving track wheel with built in cogs and a brushless DC motor having a mounting shaft to connect the wheels to the tracked vehicle. The brushless DC motor is coupled within the driving track wheel to develop rotational torque for rotating the driving track wheel and includes a drum, a bank of pole assemblies connected between the drum and the stationary mounting shaft, and electrical wiring for energizing the bank of pole assemblies. In an embodiment, the brushless DC motor includes permanent magnet high multiple pole motors. The electrically driven wheels are part of a drive system for the tracked vehicle. The drive system includes a track module frame, at least two flexible tracks coupled with the electrically driven track wheels, and a controller for controlling the electrically driven track wheels in response to a driver command.
Abstract: A sensor for selectively determining the presence and measuring the amount of hydrogen in the vicinity of the sensor. The sensor comprises a MEMS device coated with a nanostructured thin film of indium oxide doped tin oxide with an over layer of nanostructured barium cerate with platinum catalyst nanoparticles. Initial exposure to a UV light source, at room temperature, causes burning of organic residues present on the sensor surface and provides a clean surface for sensing hydrogen at room temperature. A giant room temperature hydrogen sensitivity is observed after making the UV source off. The hydrogen sensor of the invention can be usefully employed for the detection of hydrogen in an environment susceptible to the incursion or generation of hydrogen and may be conveniently used at room temperature.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 25, 2004
Date of Patent:
September 7, 2010
Assignee:
University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
Inventors:
Sudipta Seal, Satyajit V. Shukla, Lawrence Ludwig, Hyoung Cho
Abstract: A composition and method for fabricating and tuning a dopant based core-shell semiconductor having a quantum dot core with an excitation band-gap are provided. A quantum dot core composed of an alloy of cadmium sulfide (CdS) and zinc sulfide (ZnS) as semi-conductor materials include a dopant of manganese (Mn) added to the core and an outer shell of zinc sulfide (ZnS). The dopant based core/shell quantum dot semiconductor of the present invention allows the fine tuning of an excitation band-gap, covering a wide range (from 2.4 eV to ˜4 eV). When doped with Mn, these alloy Qdots emit bright yellow/orange light. Tuning of the excitation band is accomplished by changing the alloy composition of the core. Based on photophysical studies a new core/shell/shell model is provided, in place of the traditional core/shell model. Due to the interfacial diffusion of the cations from the core and shell an intermediate alloy layer is formed providing an inner shell; this inner shell layer is the real host of the dopant ions.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 13, 2010
Date of Patent:
August 17, 2010
Assignee:
University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
Abstract: Methods and systems for optical chirped pulse amplification and phase dispersion, the system including an active dispersion controller for receiving an input optical pulse from a modelocked laser and controlling a third and fourth order dispersion property of the input optical pulse to produce an optical output pulses, a stretching re-circulating loop for stretching the optical output pulses in time, an optical amplifier for amplifying the stretched optical output pulses, a compressing re-circulating loop for compressing the amplified stretched optical output pulse to produce a compressed optical output pulse, and a feedback loop for feeding a feedback optical signal to the active dispersion controller.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 8, 2008
Date of Patent:
August 17, 2010
Assignee:
University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
Abstract: Weighted surface acoustic wave reflector gratings for coding identification tags and sensors to enable unique sensor operation and identification for a multi-sensor environment. In an embodiment, the weighted reflectors are variable while in another embodiment the reflector gratings are apodized. The weighting technique allows the designer to decrease reflectively and allows for more chips to be implemented in a device and, consequently, more coding diversity. As a result, more tags and sensors can be implemented using a given bandwidth when compared with uniform reflectors. Use of weighted reflector gratings with OFC makes various phase shifting schemes possible, such as in-phase and quadrature implementations of coded waveforms resulting in reduced device size and increased coding.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 23, 2006
Date of Patent:
August 17, 2010
Assignee:
University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
Abstract: Easy to attach and detach blades for overhead ceiling fans. A first version has a ceiling fan blade with keyhole slots that fit over flat topped fasteners on a mounting arm. Pulling the blade away from the arm locks the slots to the fasteners. A second version is similar to the first and has a decorative bottom cover having snappable tapered protrusions which attach through the keyholes and into mateable through-holes in the mounting arm connection. The third version has a protruding end portion of the blade that fits into a slot in the mounting arm where spring loaded pistons press into grooves in the protrusion end portion of the blade. Latching handles allow users to manually move the pistons. A fourth version has a slot in the blade which fits about a mateable housing in the mounting arm where opposing spring loaded pistons press into interior wall grooves in the slot of the blade.
Abstract: Novel, monodispersed, spherical ZrO2 particles in the size range of approximately 10 to approximately 600 nm exhibiting metastable tetragonal crystal structure at room temperature and novel methods of preparation. The ZrO2 particles are approximately 100% in the tetragonal phase at room temperature and can be pure and free of foreign oxides. The novel method can include mixing zirconium-alkoxide and an alcohol, forming preparation one, followed by separately dissolving completely de-ionized water and a polymeric steric stabilizer in an alcohol forming preparation two. Next the preparations can be mixed with vigorous stirring while subjecting the materials to hydrolysis and condensation reactions with very slow stirring. Next, there is waiting for the formation of a sol from the mixture, followed by drying at approximately 80 degrees C. to form resultant material followed by crushing the resultant material.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 7, 2007
Date of Patent:
July 20, 2010
Assignee:
University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
Abstract: Devices, apparatus, systems, and methods of installing LED (light emitting diodes) for glass tiles and glass blocks. The LEDs can be housed in flexible strips having flexible bendable transparent housing sleeves with ends that can interconnect by male and female ends to one another with various types of interconnectors. Each separate sleeve can house up to 33 LEDs in a transparent plastic sleeve. A transparent connector sleeve can be slid over the interconnected ends and heat shrunk in place. The glass tiles can be laid out to uniform joints spacings between the glass tiles of approximately 3/16 of an inch. The LED strips can be placed on a surface layer of transparent grout that has been laid in the joint spacing, followed by a top layer of transparent grout. The transparent grout can be removable grout and include clear Silicon. The LED strips can have peel and stick back layers with adhesive backing that allows mounting to the lower surface.
Abstract: Apparatus, methods, systems and devices for fabricating individual CNT collimators. Micron size fiber coated CNT samples are synthesized with chemical vapor deposition method and then the individual CNT collimators are fabricated with focused ion beam technique. Unfocused electron beams are successfully propagated through the CNT collimators. The CNT nano-collimators are used for applications including single ion implantation and in high-energy physics, and allow rapid, reliable testing of the transmission of CNT arrays for transport of molecules.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 9, 2007
Date of Patent:
July 6, 2010
Assignees:
University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc., The Regents of the University of California
Inventors:
Lee Chow, Guangyu Chai, Thomas Schenkel
Abstract: Devices, and methods of extending legs from vertical fore grip handles on firearms, such as rifles, to different height positions. The vertical fore grip can include expandable bipod legs. The legs can be individually extended to different lengths by moving telescoping rod members in leg housings from retracted positions to extended positions. A lever switch can allow for the legs to be locked into the different extended positions, and depressing the switch can allow for the legs to go back to the retracted positions. Anti-rotation pins and slots can prevent the telescoping members from rotating relative to the legs.
Abstract: The apparatus, methods, system and devices of the present invention provides transflective LCD system structure wherein each pixel is composed of at least three reflective sub-pixels and at least one transmissive sub-pixel. The reflective sub-pixels have a color filter layer for displaying color reflective images and the transmissive sub-pixel it is driven by color sequential imaging method for displaying a color transmissive image. The configuration of the sub-pixels and the location of the sub-pixel electronics increases the aperture ratio of both transmissive sub-pixel and reflective sub-pixel to improve the image brightness and lower the overall power consumption of the device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 14, 2006
Date of Patent:
June 29, 2010
Assignees:
University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc., Toppoly Optoelectronics Corp.